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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27818071">The Fire Always Burns</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hekate1308/pseuds/Hekate1308'>Hekate1308</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Magic, Angel Castiel, Familiar Dean Winchester, M/M, demon Crowley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:00:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>20,252</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27818071</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hekate1308/pseuds/Hekate1308</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean, a familiar unable to use magic, had spent the last three years trying to occasionally escape his creator, John Winchester. Everything changed when he met their town's guardian angel. Destiel Christmas Calendar.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel/Dean Winchester, Crowley &amp; Castiel, Crowley &amp; Dean Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>155</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>104</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So I decided to write another Christmas Calendar this year. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Dean? Dean!? Where are you?”</p><p>Dean sighed and hid deeper into the shadows, waiting for John to pass. It wasn’t that he wasn’t thankful that John had created him; had made him out of cat’s breath and scales of fish and whatnot using magic because he had been feeling lonely; but he was his own person, and he wanted to see their small town by himself, for himself.</p><p>And if he should happen across…</p><p>He blushed.</p><p>Point was, he’d been a good boy for a while now, since John called him into existence, and he just wanted to be by his own for a little bit, had simply been feeling restless for a while now, and so he stole down to Ellen’s bar.</p><p>It wasn’t the first time he had done so, far from it, but even he could admit that his visits had become more and more frequent in the last few months. At least Ellen and her daughter Jo, both witches in their own right and long known to John, were sympathetic towards his plight.</p><p>His eyes lit up when he walked in and found the golem he considered his best friend. “Heya, Sammy.”</p><p>Sam had been created like Dean, albeit not out of thin air, and golems tended to be on the large side, which explained his nickname Sasquatch amongst the inhabitants of the town.</p><p>“I told you, it’s Sam.”</p><p>“Whatever you say, big guy” he said happily as he sat down next to him, “I’ll have a beer, Ellen.”</p><p>“Actually, I should tell you to get back to your wizard” she scolded him as usual; but since she also immediately served him, he knew there was no danger of her alerting John.</p><p>“That explains John storming around town” Jo observed, skipping behind the bar. “Saw him from afar, decided I wanted nothing to do with that particular storm.”</p><p>“He’s been… overbearing lately” Dean sighed.</p><p>“You mean <em>always</em>” Jo suppled helpfully. “John’s always been like that, even back when I was a kid. And that despite the scrapes he and Dad used to get in together… But of course, after Mary…”</p><p>“Yes, well, I know it’s not easy – God knows I still miss my Bill every day – but your father was still so very young when he lost her. So I always hoped John would eventually calm down.”</p><p>Dean shrugged. “Yeah, no one like you to look after him.”</p><p>“And whose fault is that?” she scoffed. “If he’d tried to find a nice girl – it wasn’t as if he’d anyone to look after, and he was very young when Mary died… so if he’d tried, instead of doing his useless experiments…” she glanced at Dean. “No offense.”</p><p>“None taken. I just don’t get why he can’t be more relaxed, like Bobby.”</p><p>Sam sighed. “You say that when you manage to take a sump plug for a bolt screw again. I assure you, he’s not the least bit relaxed then.”</p><p>Somewhat ironic that Bobby had tried his hands at creating a golem so that he could help at the scrap yard, and Dean being the one far more interested in cars. He reminded himself to go visit him soon.</p><p>He patted his shoulder. “Hey, does he really mind that much?”</p><p>“No” Sam sighed “And to be honest, that makes it worse.”</p><p>Like Dean, he was very thankful to his creator, and it pained him that he couldn’t help him more.</p><p>“You do his paperwork, don’t you? Not like John’s ever going to allow me to do that for him.”</p><p>Yes, he’d technically only been alive for three years, but he’d still emerged as a fully grown adult, who knew all the basics about life and magic (even though – as he yet again recalled with a small stab of pain – he’d never been able to do magic himself) and everything in-between. He figured he should be given a little more trust.</p><p>“Say” Ellen said conspiratorially, “You wouldn’t happen to have seen Castiel, lately?”</p><p>His heart started beating faster in his chest. “No, why should I? It’s not like – I don’t know the guy that well. We greet each other on the street, but that’s about it.”</p><p>Much to Dean’s regret.</p><p>Ellen’s expression suggested he wasn’t fooling anyone with his attempt to show just how much he didn’t care about Castiel. “It’s just, he hasn’t been around, and when he has, he’s been rather gloomy lately… even more so than usual.”</p><p>It had created quite a bit of a stir when, twenty years ago, a guardian angel had arrived and decided to make the town his own, they had told Dean. Mayor Crowley in particular had wasted no time in letting the other towns around know that his had been considered the one most suited for an angel.</p><p>That said, a bit of an untypical angel at that. He always wore a trench coat, for one thing, and rather than spend time with the townsfolk, he lived in an abandoned tower at the outskirts of their place.</p><p>And damn him –</p><p>If this didn’t make him even more intriguing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn’t that he didn‘t take his work seriously. A guardian angel was meant to guard, to lead, to keep the town he had chosen from harm, and that was what Castiel had done. Granted, he was well aware that one of the reasons – and a very important one at that – for him to chose this one had been that he had never been close to his brethren, that they had made fun of his dark feathers, his fascination with those they were supposed to look after, just the world in general, instead of being perfectly happy in Heaven, and so had decided to go for a town that was right in the middle of nowhere.</p><p>He had an idea that Crowley at least suspected as much, but still used his presence to his advantage. Well – why shouldn’t he? He was not that bad, for a demon, once you got used to him; and the townsfolk themselves were east to get along with as well, once they had understood that they couldn’t just bring him offerings and expect special treatment.</p><p>And yet, he had felt… uneasy for the past few years. Yes, he was meant to protect. Yes, he was meant to watch. Yes, he was meant to be content in fulfilling the purpose God herself had created him for.</p><p>So why was he so restless? Why did he want to see more of the world? Why wasn’t this enough?</p><p>He laid aside the book he’d been perusing in hopes of distracting himself, admitting that it had been another failure, and walked over to his window so he could look down upon the town.</p><p>His town. He’d done his best to keep it from harm, magical or otherwise. He liked to think he’d been successful.</p><p>“Come on, Feathers, don’t frown like that, it’ll get stuck.”</p><p>He didn’t even turn around. At the beginning, he had thought Crowley had been making fun of his feathers, like his brothers and sisters; however, he’d quickly learned that the demon simply gave everyone a nickname to use when he was feeling mischievous.</p><p>Being a demon, that was always the case. Naturally.</p><p>“I am not frowning.”</p><p>“So you call that smiling? Seems to me you haven’t learned much then, living between humans and creatures.”</p><p>In a way, they were quite similar, Castiel reflected as he gazed upon Crowley. They hands both left the realms they originally belonged in, although Crowley must have done so with far more enthusiasm and panache Castiel had been able to muster; he hadn’t been back to Hell in years, claiming this world was much more fun, and having all the comforts he could possibly want at home.</p><p>How he’d gotten himself elected mayor was a bit of a mystery to the angel (and perhaps the inhabitants of Hollowground as well) but everyone agreed that he did a good job. Certainly no one wanted him gone, even if he was a bit of a bastard.</p><p>“John Winchester’s been tearing through the city again” he suddenly said, surprising Castiel.</p><p>“Is everything alright?” Yes, he couldn’t take care of every problem, but if a blessing could help…</p><p>Crowley snorted. “No; guy just has a problem with free will, especially when it comes to his own creation. Trust him to figure out how to make a familiar in human form and then end up with a normal guy without any powers – not that Dean’s not pretty to look at, mind.”</p><p>Castiel had only ever seen John Winchester’s son – for as such he had chosen to refer to Dean, to his credit, he had always thought – from afar, but he would certainly agree that he had seemed aesthetically pleasing.</p><p>“Of course he’s at Ellen’s, but John won’t even have the idea to look for him there. Too stubborn to admit he didn’t create a kid but a fully grown adult, you see.”</p><p>Castiel wondered how Crowley knew where Dean was, then asked himself if it even mattered.</p><p>“I’m about to drop in, actually. Have a glass of Craig, prove I am a man of the people.”</p><p>“You are a demon” Castiel reminded him.</p><p>He rolled his red eyes. “Come on, Feathers, it’s just a figure of speech. Certainly you’ve heard of those?”</p><p>Yes, and just like other human habits, like sarcasm, they continued to baffle him.</p><p>“Care to join me? Get out of your high tower?”</p><p>“No thank you”.</p><p>He didn’t think he’d be very good company. He wasn’t good company on his good days, according to his siblings, so why should he be so now?</p><p>“Suit yourself” Crowley shrugged. “Well, I’ll see you around, Cassie.”</p><p>And with that, he was gone, as was his wont.</p><p>Castiel sighed again as he returned to watching the town he, despite everything, loved.</p><p>So why did he feel so unsatisfied with his lot?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dean, probably because he hadn’t been around long enough to remember him waltzing into the city like he owned the place, had always been one of those who got along well with Crowley. Really, he quite liked the demon, although he would never have told him that to his face, his ego was quite big enough as it was; and so, he greeted him amicably enough.</p><p>Sam had been more sceptical of him from the start – Bobby had created him two years ago – and simply nodded. He might not have liked having a drink with him, but this was Ellan’s place first and foremost, and the mayor drank for free in her establishment. There was a reason her income tax was as low as it was.</p><p>“Hello, boys.”</p><p>“Hello, Crowley.”</p><p>“I see you escaped your father once again. He’s on a goose chase through town, you know.”</p><p>“Thanks.” Knowing Crowley, he probably had more to do with that than he let on.</p><p>As always, he deflected any gratitude shown towards him. “Don’t worry your pretty head about it.” Probably a demon thing – he couldn’t admit to have done anything nice.</p><p>“If you say so, Peaches.” Dean had never bothered with any titles when it came to Crowley, and the mayor had never insisted. Probably knew it was a lost cause.</p><p>He let himself fall on the chair next to Dean, knowing Sam wouldn’t have welcomed him to the seat next to him. “The very best your house has to offer, Mrs. Harvelle.”</p><p>“Anything for our mayor.”</p><p>Sometimes Dean wondered why Crowley had decided to become the mayor of Hollowground, of all things. He doubtlessly could have become a rich business guy, or perhaps go into crossroads; he’d have taken over every available one at the end of the year, he was ready to bet. Still – it all worked for them.</p><p>“I just went to see our very own guardian angel.”</p><p>“Hasn’t been around in a while. How is he?” Ellen asked.</p><p>Yes, Castiel came around to Ellen’s bar somewhat regularly despite his monastic tendencies, at least that was what she had told Dean; but alas, since he usually chose busy evenings – evenings where he could sit in a corner and watch people, since that was all he seemed to do – he had never been able to sneak away. If the whole town saw him, John would know, even though he’d love nothing more than to talk to the guy away from prying eyes for once…</p><p>“If you ask me, he’s feeling a bit under the weather.”</p><p>“Angels can’t get sick” Sam said immediately.</p><p>Crowley looked at him with his blood red eyes until he dropped his own gaze – a trick that had never worked on Dean, since rather than unsettling, he’d always secretly found Crowley’s eyes pretty cool. “I didn’t mean it like that, and you know it, Moose.”</p><p>Sam was Moose and Dean Squirrel – Dean had only figured out why when, one day, dying of boredom, he’d stumbled across re-runs from an old kids’ show.</p><p>“I think he needs a bit of a distraction. Doesn’t do anyone any good, being cooped up” Crowley continued.</p><p><em>Don’t I know it</em>, Dean thought rather bitterly, and had the feeling that Crowley knew exactly how he was feeling.</p><hr/><p>Sam and Dean had decided to visit Bobby together. That was another thing though, Dean couldn’t help but think was rather unfair – Sam had been allowed to move out, no questions asked. Bobby had shrugged, said “You’re your own person, boy, you do what you want” and that had been that.</p><p>If he should ever decide to broach the subject with John, he’d probably start yelling his head off.</p><p>Bobby looked up from the car he was working on when they approached him. “Ah, boys. Dean, I could use some help here –“</p><p>He quickly moved to do just that while Sam proposed to make them dinner.</p><p>“Your father was here half an hour ago, so we should be safe.”</p><p>“Thanks.”</p><p>“Don’t get John’s problem, really… well, we all have our faults.”</p><p>He nodded and concentrated on the car as he asked, “Have you been to see Castiel recently?”</p><p>“No, not recently – but I fixed his door about a month ago. Why?”</p><p>“Ellen and Crowley seem to agree tat something’s the matter with him.”</p><p>Bobby hummed. “When these two agree on something, it normally means it’s true. Well, I could drop by his tower and ask him if there’s anything he needed…”</p><p>“Thanks, Bobby” he said again.</p><p>“Forget about it; a city with a guardian angel is safer than one without one, and I’d rather live in a safe town.”</p><p>Who wouldn’t.</p><p>How Dean longed to simply go and knock, like any other person in Hollowground could.</p><p>He sighed and once more tried to fix the car.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was the first time Castiel had ever allowed himself to think about leaving Hollowground. He knew it was wrong, of course; he had chosen to look after the city; and yet – and yet.</p><p>What – why exactly was he staying here?</p><p>And why was he asking himself those questions in the first place? He was an angel, he wasn’t supposed to <em>want</em> things.</p><p>But he did. He wanted – he wanted –</p><p>He didn’t know what he wanted.</p><p>And he had no one to talk to about it. Yes, the people respected him and he believed that, as far as guardian angels went, he was well-liked enough, mostly because he did his job; but he wouldn’t have called any of them his friends…</p><p>He thought of Crowley, but a demon surely wouldn’t be able to help him.</p><p>He decided to take a walk, and used his powers to make sure he wouldn’t be seen. He sometimes did that, just to make sure people wouldn’t ask things of him he shouldn’t give them – already he ad been in trouble a few times because he’d performed blessing for small problems, and the other angels could be sticklers to rules when it came to such things – and he was, of course, always ready to observe and seek out those who, due to pride or respect or something else, never came to see him.</p><p>But today, he simply wanted no one to see him. Oh, Crowley could, naturally, but he normally knew when to leave him alone.</p><p>And so he walked, walked through this town he had chosen as his own, watched the people, listened to their conversations, took it all in.</p><p>There had been a time, when he had just arrived, that all of this had greatly comforted him for the loss of Heave and the company of his siblings, but not anymore.</p><p>The trouble was the wanting. And what he wanted – only he only rarely admitted it to himself – was – well –</p><p>A young couple walked by, smiling brightly, holding hands.</p><p>Yes. That was what he wanted. Someone who didn’t see the angel, the protector, the guardian. Someone who simply looked at him and saw Castiel, and only Castiel, and liked him because of that fact, not despite it. Who didn’t think his black wings were strange or a sign that something was wrong with him, who wanted to spend time with him just because they could.</p><p>But who was he kidding, as the humans would have said – this would never come to pass; he might as well give up on that dream now, a dream he shouldn’t have been dreaming to begon with.</p><p>His wings drooped as he considered his options. The truth was, he really did like Hollowground a lot – no, he loved it. He loved its people, their simply belief in angels, their goodness; he even loved his tower, although Crowley always told him to make it more cheerful. Because that apparently was another thing the demon was an expert in, or at least considered himself one.</p><p>Castiel had always insisted he had everything he needed, but he wasn’t so sure of himself anymore. Maybe being around humans for a while affected one, and now he had the same needs that other humans had – but no; he’d never heard anything like that from any other angel.</p><p>Yet that was just the point, wasn’t it. He wasn’t like other angels, and he wasn’t like humans, and he wasn’t like creatures. He was just himself, Castiel, and he wasn’t even very good at that. Forever alone because of that very fact.</p><p>And so, he kept walking.</p><p>He was just passing Singer’s – he quite liked Bobby, even if the mechanic could be a bit rough around the edges – when the door opened and two young men stumbled out, jostling each other and laughing.</p><p>He knew how they were, of course – Sam and Dean, one a golem, one a human familiar without any of the powers usually associated with them, created by Bobby Singer and John Winchester respectively – and also of the differences in their lives – of Sam always running around town, trying to help people with their legal problems because that was what he wanted to do, while Dean was constantly attempting to evade John.</p><p>He'd never been so near them, thigh; only the street separated them.</p><p>And, as it turned out, Dean was very handsome indeed.</p><p>He’d slung his arm around Sam’s shoulder and was eagerly talking to him and Cas suppressed a surge of – what was that?</p><p>Then, suddenly, he casually nodded at him, as he usually did when they passed each other.</p><p>Long after he and Sam had disappeared, Castiel stood still and stared after them.</p><p>This couldn’t be.</p><p>But yet it had happened.</p><p>For some reason, for some crazy, unfathomable reason –</p><p>Dean had seen him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had taken several weeks for John to trust him enough to let him out of his sight again.</p><p>“But I just went to Ellen’s” he’d complained.</p><p>“The streets are dangerous.”</p><p>“Why? You taught me how to defend myself, the mayor is a demon, we have a guardian angel –“</p><p>“Discussion over.”</p><p>Yes, he thought as he scrubbed the floor as yet another punishment, that was just it, wasn’t it. John was convinced that because he had created him, he had a right to him, that he could tell him what to do, and that this would go on indefinitely, even though he had Bobby’s shining example before him, Bobby, who let Sam do his own thing and only now and then asked for help.</p><p>Quite frankly, Bobby made for a much better father than John ever had, but it was highly disloyal to consider that, and he had given him his life…</p><p>And life, despite everything, was fun. The internet alone was full of weird, strange things, and then there was Hollowground with its many people and creatures rubbing along together in the middle of nowhere…</p><p>Sometimes, it was true, Dena wondered what would happen if he took John’s pride and joy, the Impala, and drove away, if only for a few days, saw a little more of the world. But John would never allow it. He’d come after him and drag him back kicking and screaming, and then he’d probably lock him up for a few years so he’d “learn his lesson.”</p><p>It was hopeless.</p><p>However, today he was in luck. John came into the room. At first, he thought he was going to inspect his work, but then he said, “Make yourself presentable. The mayor called – his car won’t start. Wants us to take a look.”</p><p>First of all, this meant that Crowley and Bobby had had another one of their disagreements – which happened regularly – otherwise he’d definitely have called the older mechanic; and second of all, he’d probably insisted that they needed Dean’s expertise. He would have to thank him and watch him squirm again.</p><p>But he really was rather grateful as he washed up; he’d get out of the house, if only for a short time, and that was something he would never take for granted again.</p><p>“Stay within my sight” John warned him as they went to get the Impala.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“Yes, sir” he sighed, once more thinking how Bobby had never forced Sam to call him anything, even though of the two of them, Sam was technically the one who as supposed to be a servant, while Dean was more like a… partner in magic; and maybe, if he’d actually had any powers, John would have seen him as such…</p><p>Not that he hadn’t tried. But no matter how many rituals, Dean had never been able to help out with even the most rudimentary spell.</p><p>“Now, you concentrate on fixing the car. Don’t trust that demon. He’s trouble.”</p><p>Which would probably have been a distinction if Jon hadn’t considered almost everyone in town trouble, including Dean on occasion (alright, the occasions where he’d run awa, but still).</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>“Dean, I am only trying to protect you. You’re just three years old.”</p><p>How often had he tried pointing out to him that three years as an adult familiar were very different from three years as a human child? He’d certainly never needed to be potty-trained, and he’d been able to cook better than John himself from day one, which was why he usually prepared their meals, these days.</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>“You’ll understand when you’re older.”</p><p>Dean had heard parents tell their children that and wondered if it had ever worked in the history of humanity.</p><p>Probably not.</p><hr/><p>Crowley greeted them both cordially enough, although Dean couldn’t help but feel that he was a little warmer towards him than John. “There you are. My second limousine has been acting up.”</p><p>He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.</p><p>“Now, Mr. Winchester, there are a few things about your shop I’d like to discuss…”</p><p>Huh, he wasn’t just getting him out of the house, he was also making sure got some alone time. Yep, next drink in a bar where Crowley didn’t just get them for free was on him.</p><p>He was working away when he heard someone enter the garage, and thinking it either to be John or Crowley, called out, “It’s nothing big, don’t worry, I can fix it right now –“</p><p>“That’s very convenient” a gravely voice that most definitely didn’t belong to Crowley or John replied and in his haste to get up, Dean almost hit his head on the bonnet.</p><p>As a matter of fact, he had never heard this voice before, and he thought he knew everyone –</p><p>And then he was staring into their guardian angel’s blue eyes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Castiel had no idea why Crowley had summoned him. He had spent the last few weeks in what the demon, on his occasional visits, had dubbed a “funk” (although he himself didn’t see it that way) and had seen no one.</p><p>Well, except for Bobby Singer, who had come around to ask if he needed anything – a strange enough occurrence, since normally people asked Castiel for things, instead of the other way around. He had assured him that everything was well.</p><p>Maybe he had just wanted to make sure that the work he’d done on the door had been satisfactory?</p><p>Still, he’d seen non one else except for Crowley, and now the mayor had sent him a note that he needed to see him on “urgent business” whatever that meant.</p><p>There was nothing to do but to go, although it was the last thing he wanted. When Crowley called, you better came, or there were consequences. Granted, he probably couldn’t hurt Castiel, but he could make life for him very uncomfortable indeed – he was a demon, after all.</p><p>And so, here he was.</p><p>He found Crowley conversing with John Winchester.</p><p>He hadn’t forgotten about Dean and his apparent ability to see him despite him being invisible at the time, but maybe he’d been mistaken. And anyway, he hadn’t had anything to do with John since he arrived in Hollowground; he dabbled a little bit in magic and was a mechanic – and he had created Dean. That was all he knew about him.</p><p>If he ever prayed, he didn’t do it in a way Castiel could hear, and that was fine by him. No one owed him anything just because he had chosen the town as his own. That wasn’t how it worked.</p><p>“Ah, Cassie, would you mind waiting for a bit? You can have a look around, if you want” Crowley said carelessly.</p><p>And he’d thought the business was urgent. So much for that.</p><p>He didn’t like Crowley’s mansion much, but then, he had often found that he had little to no understanding of the luxuries humans and other creatures insisted on. Heaven was mostly empty and pure, and his tower was clean and not cluttered.</p><p>And what Crowley would do with an oil painting of himself, he had no idea.</p><p>He then happened across another door and decided he might as well check what was behind it, despite angels not being curious by nature.</p><p>As soon as he saw the cars, he almost turned around; he certainly had never understood the humans’ fondness for them, preferring to fly when he had to move. But then he saw someone bending over one of the limousines and realized Crowley must have called John Winchester in to fix it.</p><p>And then that someone raised his head and he realized he was looking at Dean.</p><p>“Hello, Dean” he finally said after they had stared for each other for a rather large amount of time (at least he thought so. He wasn’t quite sure about the right social etiquette when it came to things like this).</p><p>“Hey… Castiel.”</p><p>They stared some more.</p><p>Eventually, Dean cleared his throat. “His Highness give you the honour of an audience?”</p><p>“I was not aware that Crowley had assumed a royal title.”</p><p>Unexpectedly, Dean chuckled, and he decided that it was a very pleasing sound. “Relax, was just a joke. Certainly acts like it a lot, doesn’t he?”</p><p>“He can be very… sure of himself.”</p><p>Dean nodded. “Well, he’s a bastard, but a good guy underneath it all. There’s nothing much wrong with this car. If you ask me, he did it himself.”</p><p>“Why would he damage his own possessions?”</p><p>“I dare say he wanted to help get me out of the house. John…” he trailed off, looked away, then back at Castiel. “John doesn’t like me going out on my own. Says I’m too young.”</p><p>He tilted his head to the side to study him properly. “You seem fully grown to me. Is there some human life stage that I am not familiar with?”</p><p>“That’s just it. Technically, I’m a human familiar, so I was never a kid, but try and tell John that” he spat.</p><p>“You go out sometime though” he tried, feeling rather helpless. He certainly had no idea how to make him feel better. “I saw you a few weeks ago… you’d been at Bobby Singer’s…”</p><p>“Oh yeah, I remember. That was a good evening”. He grinned. “Had a movie night. Totally worth the sermon I had to hear later. And sneaking out can even be fun – now and then.”</p><p>What a contradictory bunch humans were, Castiel thought. “So – do you need anything?” he finally settled on his usual question when he didn’t understand them.</p><p>“Nah, Cas, don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”</p><p>How curious.</p><p>“Cas?”</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ahm…“ Dean hoped against hope that he wasn’t blushing. Oh, who was he kidding. Of course he was blushing.</p><p>Cas just looked even hotter from up close, alright? That wasn’t his fault.</p><p>Damn angels and their baby blues.</p><p>He cleared his throat. “Yeah, sorry. I tend to shorten people’s names. Give them nicknames, you know.”</p><p>“Ah.” After a pause, Cas replied, “No one has ever given me a nickname before.”</p><p>“No one?”</p><p>“Well, Cowley calls me Feathers or Cassie, but I’m not sure that counts…”</p><p>Dean laughed; he couldn’t help it. “That sounds like Crowley alright. Calls me Squirrel and Sammy Moose. You know Sam?”</p><p>Cas, who, by the looks of it, was currently trying to ascertain what similarities Dean shared with a small furry animal who liked to hop around trees, nodded. “Yes. The golem Bobby Singer created.”</p><p>“Exactly. He’s my best friend – more like a little brother, really, you know, he’s the only other magically crafted human in town, so it just feels right…”</p><p>Oh great, now he was babbling. <em>Don’t babble, you idiot, you’ll scare him off, and then where will you be? </em>“You know” he said again.</p><p>“I do; I have many siblings.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>He nodded. “Angels consider themselves siblings.”</p><p>“Sounds awesome.” Dean kind of wanted a big family, had done so ever since he became aware and realized it was only him and John. It was another reason staying at home was so damn difficult – he wanted to meet people, get to know them. If only John could see reason…</p><p>He shrugged. “We are certainly rarely alone in Heaven.”</p><p>“Then why’d you leave?” It had been a mystery to Dean for a while – why some angels would go to earth and become guardians, and others were happy staying in Heaven, far away from anything that wasn’t celestial; weren’t they curious? But maybe he was just projecting – he was, after all, very curious himself.</p><p>“I…” Cas hesitated then eventually settled on “I used to think I knew… I believe.”</p><p>Well, wasn’t that vague. And slightly depressing, considering all thing. “The people here are certainly glad we have you” he said because it was true. “Our very own guardian angel. One of the first things I heard I ever left the house.”</p><p>“Thank you?”</p><p>“Don’t mention it.”</p><p>Silence fell, and he wondered what he should do. Technically, he was supposed to be fixing the car, but a. he <em>was</em> pretty certain Crowley was behind this, b. he was equally sure he could just snap his fingers and – bam – running car, and c. how often did he get the opportunity to talk to his crush? (Not that he admitted it was a crush, not even to himself. Some things were meant to be hidden, tucked away).</p><p>“So… what are you doing here? The garage, I mean?”</p><p>Another shrug. “Crowley is conferring with your…”</p><p>“He prefers father” Dean said when it became clear that Cas was waiting for him to provide the right verb.</p><p>“And you?”</p><p>He was the first one to ever ask.</p><p>“I…” he thought about it. “He did create me, so I suppose it’s accurate. And for what it’s worth, he does treat me like a teenager who sneaks out past curfew. And… I am grateful. I am. The world has so much to offer.”</p><p>“You think so?”</p><p>“But of course! Just look at this!” he pointed at the limousine, but Cas only tilted his head in that adorable way of his once more, clearly indicating that he had no idea what he meant.</p><p>“Let me say it like this. So, humans, right? For centuries, they walked, or the rode horses and carriage, and then one was like “Hey, wouldn’t it be sweet if we built a machine to do that?” And now, here we are, Mercedes-Benz S-Class – amazing. was introduced in 1981, sharing the petrol V8 engines with its four-door version, W126. After the introduction of new nomeculate scheme, SEC was simply renamed as S-Class Coupé. For 1996 model year, the coupé was separated from S-Class line and named as new CL-Class…” he stopped talking when he realized he was quoting the Wikipedia article he’d actually written (there was only so much to do around the house).</p><p>Cas was staring at him. “You are… very enthusiastic.”</p><p>“Thanks?”</p><p>He was trying to figure out how to save the conversation when he heard Crowley announce “Well then, let’s see what your boy has been up to…”</p><p><em>Thank you, you damned bastard</em>. “Cas, can you do your thing where you go invisible?”</p><p>“Why should I?”</p><p>“’Cause John’s about to come in and he won’t like me talking to you.”</p><p>“But why wouldn’t he –“</p><p>“Cas, now!”</p><p>Cas stayed visible though, even as the door was thrown open, but to Dean’s infinite surprise, John strolled past him without bating an eye.</p><p>“Dean, show me what you’ve been doing –“</p><p>He quickly complied.  </p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dean kept glancing at him while John inspected his work, offering mostly criticism and some slight praise.</p><p>No, Castiel had been right that night – Dean could see him even when other couldn’t.</p><p>As could Crowley, of course, but that was something else.</p><p>In fact, he’d come to stand beside him. “I see you’ve met our local Pinocchio.”</p><p>Having read the book – and found it quite disturbing, like many results of the human imagination – a few years ago, Castiel said, “Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to call Sam that?”</p><p>“Really, Feathers, you’re no fun. And Dean came first, so he’s got seniority.”</p><p>“If you say so.”</p><p>“I do. Anyway, what do you think of him?”</p><p>“He’s… been very kind.”</p><p>“Yep, that’s Dean all over. Otherwise he’d have told his old man to bugger off years ago.”</p><p>Castiel had never asked where Crowley got his accent from. As far as he knew, there was no Great Britain in Hell. Maybe it was just an affectation; at least that certainly sounded like something Crowley would come up with. “I don’t think he’s that hostile towards John, although John seems somewhat… restrictive.”</p><p>Crowley snorted. “One way to put it, Dean goes out to have one drink and he starts a riot.”</p><p>“How did you meet?” Castel asked, finding himself interested in something for the first time in a long time. Crowley and Dean… they obviously liked each other, an it just seemed so strange to him. Dean was very human, very likeable, extremely polite and nice, and obviously had a good heart; Crowley was a demon who had decided to become mayor on a whim and ever since held a firm grip on local politics, who probably didn’t care about being nice or polite in any way, shape, or form.</p><p>“Oh, it was actually quite fun. It was about two months after John had created Dean – no one knew he even existed at the time, he kept it all a secret – and I was just getting out of my limousine when a certain someone, who had just managed to sneak out for the first time, exclaimed, “This is amazing!” Strangely enough, he meant the car, not yours truly. I got curious – normally, adults don’t show their enthusiasm that openly; but of course he didn’t have any experience with society yet. So we got to talking until, John came to drag him home.”</p><p>Somehow, it seemed… almost blasphemous that as pure a soul as Dean should have first talked to Crowley, of all people; but then, he had said he’d helped him…</p><p>Dean, bringing out the good in a demon.</p><p>Castiel couldn’t help but stare at him as he placated John. Then, he inquired, “Did you really break your own car?”</p><p>“I don’t know what you mean.”</p><p>“Dean suggested it.”</p><p>“Then he doesn’t know what he means, either, trust me, Cassie,”</p><p>He didn’t – that as the whole point – but he’d not known Crowley for years only to humour him now.</p><p>“That should do I” John suddenly announced, closing the hood as if he instead of Dean had done the work. “I’ll send you the bill.”</p><p>Castiel suddenly found himself wondering if Dean ever saw any of that money he obviously helped John to earn, and feared that he didn’t; and then he wondered why he cares so much. Of course he cared about all the inhabitants of Hollowground, that as what he was there for, his reason for being, in a way; but he very much specifically cared about Dean and whether or not John treated him as an equal, and that was… strange.</p><p>“Thank you”. And somehow, Castiel suddenly had the feeling that Crowley at least would ensure that Dean got a little something extra, and almost against his will, he found himself liking the demon a little bit more.</p><p>“Good. That’s all then, Dean; come on.”</p><p>He was ordering him around like a servant, and Castiel felt resentful. And if he did, what must Dean’s emotions be about all of this?</p><p>As they passed him and Crowley, Dean nodded slightly at him again, as he had that night.</p><p>“Huh” Crowley said as soon as the door had closed behind him, “Who would have thought. Pretty boy can see you even if you don’t want anyone to. How interesting.”</p><p>He wasn’t quite sure that interesting was the right word.</p><p>But he would say this: having been talking to Dean…</p><p>It had been the best time he had had in at least this past year.</p><p>Crowley’s smug expression suggested that he’d guessed what he was thinking, and Castiel, to his surprise, wasn’t even slightly annoyed by it. “What did you want to see me about?”</p><p>Crowley’s expression hardened. “Don’t tell me you can’t feel it – there’s been a distinct surge in magic around Hollowground lately, and it doesn’t feel natural.”</p><p>“I have felt it” he admitted.</p><p>What a strange day it had turned out to be.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So sorry for the late upload guys - would love to have a legitimate excuse, but was so busy I simply forgot. Still, enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If John noticed he was preoccupied as they drove home – as John drove them home – he didn’t mention it, for which Dean was grateful.</p><p>Cas had proved every bit as intriguing in person as he had when he had been nothing but a guardian angel Dean admired from the distance.</p><p>God, those eyes…</p><p>He wished he had someone to talk to about it, but that would have to wait until he called Sam later. A cell phone was thankfully not one of the things John had succeeded in keeping him from, apparently figuring it was going to keep him indoors more, not counting on Dean using it either to call Sam or take pictures for which he obviously needed to go out.</p><p>Yes, Cas had been… fascinating.</p><p>And yet… Dean couldn’t help but feel that there was a certain… sadness about him. As if he was… lonely.</p><p>But that couldn’t be possibly, of course. Angels didn’t get lonely… did they? He supposed they were like demons, and Crowley had never seemed lonely to him…</p><p>But Crowley went out a lot, didn’t he? Crowley met people all the time even when he didn’t have to, and he had drinks at Ellen’s, and he seemed to enjoy it… so maybe Cas would too. Hell, he must, or he wouldn’t go there, would he?</p><p>“Really” John suddenly said “That was a one-man job. Could have left you at home.”</p><p>“But you and Crowley had stuff to talk about” he pointed out, conveniently once more keeping it a secret that he and Crowley probably talked more on an average meeting than Crowley and John ever had in total.</p><p>“Yes, but still… no reason to drag you out.”</p><p>
  <em>No, no reason to drag me out. No reason to drag me out, ever, or even let me out, or allow me to have fun or make friends. What would you saw if I told you I’d been talking to our very own angel? You’d be shocked, wouldn’t you? Maybe downright appalled. Would you try and make me forbid from doing it again? ‘Cause you never tried with Crowley, not that there’s much of a chance of controlling him in the first place. But this is what you want – control. Over me, over my life. It took me a while to figure out, but you won’t ever let me go, will you? Why should you. Free labour and someone to boss around.  </em>
</p><p>He didn’t say any of it.</p><hr/><p>As soon as he was home, he skipped to his room. Some things couldn’t wait.</p><p>“Come on, pick up pick up pick up –“ he muttered, hoping that Sammy wasn’t off giving legal advice again –</p><p>“Hello?”</p><p>“Sammy, I met Cas!!!”</p><p>A pause. Then, “Cas?” as if that wasn’t the most wonderful news he’d heard all goddamn week.</p><p>“Yes, Cas – you know, Castiel!”</p><p>Sam, who knew all bout his “angel obsession” as he called it, replied, “And?”</p><p>“And what? We talked – and – stuff---”</p><p>“Dean, I’m glad you’re happy, but we talk all the time”. Now Sam was clearly teasing him.</p><p>He blushed. “Shut up” he muttered. “’S not the same.”</p><p>“Thank God for that.”</p><p>Secretly, Dean agreed. “Anyway, he’s really cool, and his eyes are incredibly blue, and his hair is all tussled up –“</p><p>“I know what he looked like Sam deadpanned.</p><p>“Yeah, you told me you saw him up close, but you never told me he’s… gorgeous.”</p><p>“Okay. Alright. You met your gorgeous crush and talked –“</p><p>“Oh, shut up” he mumbled again.</p><p>“Fine. But what do you plan on doing now?”</p><p>Wasn’t that a very good question, Dean thought.</p><hr/><p>That evening, John barricaded himself in his garage again – he had been doing that a lot, lately, now that he came to think of it – and Dean vacuumed the living room.</p><p>As always, he felt slightly creeped out by the many times the long-dead face of Mary Winchester was looking down at him. Don’t get him wrong – he understood grief, even if he thankfully had yet to experience it himself – but certainly, most people didn’t cling to the memory of a loved one this much twenty years on? And John certainly wasn’t happier for it; as a matter of fact, he was ready to bet staring at her all day long brought him more pain than comfort.</p><p>Dean had often wished that he could redecorate the house a little, make it seem more like he lived there as well, but all he had was the small room he’d at least been allowed to fill with his records and books.</p><p>His pictures, he kept on his phone, which he in turn always carried around with him. Wouldn’t have wanted John to find the snapshots, and he was ready to bet he went through his stuff regularly as it was.</p><p>He looked at Mary again and sighed, wondering how things would have been different John’s wife had lived.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the next few weeks, Castiel often found his thoughts returning to Dean.</p><p>Dean. The human familiar without any powers or even a last name. He supposed he could have taken on John’s, but everyone in town just called him Dean and Sam Sam.</p><p>But that didn’t explain why Castiel was so interested in him. Certainly, he was an interesting specimen, and it was something to talk to someone who had never been a child again, who understood what it meant to be suddenly called into existence, fully aware of what and who one was…</p><p>Yet – he’d had that with his siblings, and he’d rather left heaven than stay with them. And he wouldn’t mind talking to Dean some more. Maybe Dean came to Ellen’s now and then. Then they could sit at a table in the dark, and speak of…</p><p>Of what, exactly? What did he want to know about Dean?</p><p>He was rather starting to suspect that the answer to that question was <em>everything</em>.</p><p>He’d even started reading up about the car Dean had explained to him. It didn’t really entertain him much, but helped him recall his sparkling eyes as he had described the limousine’s history…</p><p>What was it about Dean, he kept wondering.</p><p>What indeed.</p><hr/><p>It was one of those evening where he had decided to go to Ellen’s and watch the people. He’d fallen somewhat out of the habit recently, but for some reason suddenly had felt the wish to indulge in it again.</p><p>As always, people were nice enough to leave him a booth so he could stretch his wings. Sometimes, being a guardian angel had its perks.</p><p>He let his eyes wander over the crowd. Most of these people he knew personally, others not; but that didn’t matter, he cared for them all equally, he told himself, even if he couldn’t approve of some of their behaviour – John came to mind, but thankfully, he wasn’t there today.</p><p>It was full enough that Ellen and Joe were rather busy. It was the later who came to take his order.</p><p>He had no idea why Joe would dart into the back as quickly as she could after she’d brought him his drink, but he assumed it was some kind of human necessity.</p><p>At least he did until suddenly, Dean slid into the place opposite him with a sly grin. “Heya, Cas.”</p><hr/><p>Dean had quickly become one of her best friends, ever since he had first appeared in town, much to John’s chagrin. Luckily, her and Mom very much agreed on the subject – that the familiar should be given much more freedom and time to have fun, and so she knew she wouldn’t begrudge her her plan to play matchmaker. And even if not exactly matchmaker… well, having more friends had never harmed anyone, had it?</p><hr/><p>Dean had been feeling bored and restless when the phone rang; once more John had tried to give him a lecture about how the world was a dangerous place and everything in it wanted to kill you, and apparently especially in Hollowground, and he’d retreated back to his room as quickly as he could.</p><p>“Hey Joe.”</p><p>“Guess who’s here.”</p><p>“Customers.”</p><p>“Very funny genius. No, or very own angel:”</p><p>He’d never figured out how she had found out that he was interested in Castiel but he didn’t care ibn the least. “He is?”</p><p>“Yes, and he’s sitting in his usual booth, so you better get down here, and fast.”</p><p>Normally he would have declined – Cas meant a large crowd, and John would certainly hear – but on the other hand –</p><p>Cas.</p><hr/><p>He’d taken care to wear his best shirt and jeans, and quickly made his way to the bar. It was, as he had expected, full of life, and he felt his heart beating faster. In truth, he’d wanted to come out on such an evening for quite a while now. Screw John; he was going to have fun tonight, no matter what.</p><p>He didn’t stop to greet anyone, simply made a beeline for Cas’ booth and slid into the seat opposite the angel. “Heya, Cas.”</p><p>He apparently startled him out of some kind of reflection, for the angel jumped ever so slightly, his wings mirroring the motion just a second later. “Dean.”</p><p>He grinned. “Miss me?”</p><p>He blinked, then stared, then answered, “I… enjoyed our talk, yes.”</p><p>His grin grew. “Me, too. Glad to see you again.”</p><p>“I am rather happy to be with you again, too.”</p><p><em>Don’t blush, he obviously didn’t mean it like… that</em>. “Anyway, I’ll just go get a beer. Keep my seat.”</p><p>“No one else would like to sit with me” he shrugged.</p><p>
  <em>Oh yes they would they just don’t dare. Well, too late; I’m here now. </em>
</p><p>And all but feeling invincible, Dean went to get his drink.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Unbeknownst to the two who were by now busy – talking and drinking and not paying attention to anyone else – they were rather closely watched.</p><p>First of all, there was Ellen, who was seizing them up with a motherly sort of concern. “Do you think –“</p><p>“I know Dean likes him a great deal” Joe shrugged. “Has been obsessed with our angel since he learned we had one. No idea why, but hey, if Castiel is good company to him… and you know he doesn’t have many chances to make friends.”</p><p>“I know”. She’d always considered John’s behaviour perfectly unreasonable. Yes, being a parent – and he ostensibly continued to see himself as such – could be scary, but that didn’t mean one had any right to keep the child from living, and that was what he was doing to poor Dean, who was always so glad when he could sneak out and see them.</p><p>She wished she could give John a piece of her mind, but she didn’t want to make things worse.</p><p>All of that didn’t mean they couldn’t watch out for Dean, though.</p><p>And really, if the angel was what or rather who Dean wanted…</p><hr/><p>Sam had been called in by Joe as well and had alerted Bobby, just so they could ensure no one would do something stupid like alerting <em>John</em>. There were those who looked upon Dean and Sam as the property of their respective makers, no matter how often they proved they were their own people; and should one of those be at the bar tonight...</p><p>So far, however, things had been going smoothly. Dean was happily chatting with Castiel, who, if you asked Sam, was slowly losing some of his awkwardness when it came to conversation – at least when he talked to the man Sam saw as his brother, these days.</p><p>“Can’t say I get it” Bobby declared, taking a gulp of his beer. “Castiel is perfectly fine, but he stares a little much. I don’t think I’ve seen him blink once.”</p><p>“He doesn’t need to, he’s an angel.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, still…”</p><p>“Well well well isn’t this an interesting development” a well-known voice said and both Sam and Bobby suppressed sighs as Crowley sat down next to them, his usual glass of Craig in hand. But it wouldn’t do to alienate the mayor.</p><p>“And what do you think about our two new lovebirds?”</p><p>“Nothing ahs happened yet” Sam said even though he had to admit he had never seen Dean like this – so relaxed and utterly captivated by the angel; as if he’d simply forgotten about John and his restrictions and was living a normal life for once.</p><p>“And do you see anyone else who’s currently staring at him like Cassie is?”</p><p>It was true – Castiel’s eyes had yet to leave Dean’s face; but whether that was because he wanted to look at him for because of the fact, as Bobby had pointed out, that he stared at everyone like that, Sam couldn’t say.</p><p>He was a good brother, however, and so he continued to study them while Crowley began to annoy Bobby, one of his favourite past times.</p><p>He couldn’t say that he saw many signs of attraction on Castiel’s manner, but then, he wouldn’t know what to look for. He’d hardly talked to Castiel since his creation – they knew of each other, but weren’t friendly, and anyway, he’d always kept to himself.</p><p>Which kind of made Dean’s fascination with him sort of funny, since he’d always been a social butterfly. The second they’d met, he’d started introducing him to people, and it had quickly aspired that despite John’s attitude he knew almost as many of the townsfolk as Bobby died.</p><p>John – John would have to be considered, of course. Since he believed Dean to be too immature to leave the house, what would he say if he suddenly took a lover? And their angel, too? Sam couldn’t imagine that he would be the last bit pleased.</p><p>But really, why was he already wondering about that? So far, Dean and Castiel were friends at most, nothing else; there was nothing to fear right now.</p><p>Yes, they would just have to wait and see.</p><hr/><p>This was also the attitude of most other patrons of the bar that evening. Dean was well-liked – really rather more than John, although no one said so out loud – and seeing him happy was a treat for many. And Castiel… well, he was a little strange, but he was their guardian angel, so they were eager to see him happy as well.</p><p>Also, as a wise man in the crowd pointed out, Dean, due to his magical origins, didn’t age either, so they didn’t have to worry about that.</p><p>And so, the people continued to watch Dean and Castiel, some making bets as to when things would start to happen.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So what do you like to do, Cas?” was the first question Dean put to him.</p><p>Too bad it was difficult to answer. “I…” he hesitated. Back in Heaven, no one had asked anyone what they liked to do. They did their duty, and they had faith, and sometimes, they went to help people. That was it. It had been a profound shock when, upon arriving, Castiel had realized that he was supposed to have free time and do something else than his duties during it. “I like to read” he eventually settled on.</p><p>“Oh, what are you reading at the moment?”</p><p>He knew he’d made the right decision when he answered “Slaughterhouse-Five” and Dean’s eyes lit up.</p><p>He quickly started talking – so quickly that Castiel needed a moment to realize he was quoting the book.</p><p>
  <em>“Americans, like human beings everywhere, believe many things that are obviously untrue. Their most destructive untruth is that it is very easy for any American to make money. They will not acknowledge how in fact hard money is to come by, and, therefore, those who have no money blame and blame and blame themselves. This inward blame has been a treasure for the rich and powerful, who have had to do less for their poor, publicly and privately, than any other ruling class since, say Napoleonic times. Many novelties have come from America. The most startling of these, a thing without precedent, is a mass of undignified poor. They do not love one another because they do not love themselves.”</em>
</p><p>It was a passage that had fascinated Castiel, too. “Do you think that’s true?”</p><p>Dean shrugged. “Maybe for some. Not for me though. I mean, how can I not love myself? I’m awesome” he grinned.</p><p>Castiel decided that he liked it best when Dean grinned, then wondered why. Certainly, he liked quite a few of the inhabitants of Hollowground, but none so well as Dean, even though they had only known each other for a very short time.</p><p>It didn’t make any sense, but it was the most interesting thing he’d encountered in a while.</p><p>Dean was just so… he supposed the word was enthusiaatic. Yes, he was enthusiastic, no matter what he did or who he spoke off.</p><p>He was, after all, the only one who’d ever defended Crowley to Castiel. Most people, whether they were satisfied with him as the mayor or not, would have drawn the line at that.</p><p>Not Dean.</p><p>No, he was even now telling him happily about the neighbours he knew best.</p><p>As a matter of fact, Castiel was starting to wonder whether Dean had <em>ever</em> listened to John and stayed at home.</p><p>It would have been a pity if he had, though, he had to admit that.</p><p>Although he had no idea why.</p><hr/><p>Alright, going smoothly so far, Dean thought, then chastised himself. It wasn’t like he was out to seduce Cas – not per se. Granted he wouldn’t have had anything against a little fun, but first and foremost, he wanted to get to know him, and reading was as good a start as any.</p><p>At the beginning, when he’d still been getting his bearing and not been as adept at sneaking out, he’d spent a lot of time with John’s books, and he was ready to admit to anyone that he’d been at least nice enough to get him new ones regularly once he had noticed he liked to read.</p><p>Admittedly, over time his appetite for literature had diminished slightly because these days, it tended to remind him of adventures he’d never have and friends he’d never meet; but then…</p><p>Well, he had met Cas. Granted, probably with a little help from Crowley, but it was worth it.</p><p>After a while, he glanced at his watch, and was shocked to realize they had been sitting and talking for over three hours. “Damn – sorry, Cas, but I have to go. If John hasn’t already noticed that I’m missing he’s gonna to soon, and I’m not in the mood for another lecture.”</p><p>“I am very sorry that our meeting may cause you distress” Castiel said. “Should I come with you and explain that everything went well?”</p><p>He almost laughed; John barely took his assurances when he came home safe and sound, so why should he listen to Castiel? “Nah, I got it covered, thanks.” He suddenly realized something. “Can I have your number?”</p><p>“My number?”</p><p>“Yeah, you know, your cell phone number.”</p><p>“I do not own a cell phone.”</p><p>Oh. He deflated slightly. “Well, how am I supposed to talk to you, then.”</p><p>“You could pray or…” Cas paused then said, “I suppose I could get a cell phone.”</p><p>Dean grin end. “Awesome.”</p><p>He turned around and saw the demon he wanted to see. “Hey, Crowley, could you beam me home?” he called out.</p><p>“Sure thing Squirrel, just take advantage of me.”</p><p>“Drama queen. See you around, Cas.”</p><p>“Goodbye, Dean.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Of course, just as things were going smoothly, they went south.</p><p>Dean had made it to his room when suddenly he heard the key turn in the lock. In an instant, he was at the door, banging on it. “What the hell, John?”</p><p>“If you can’t listen to orders” his voice rang out “You’ll have to be taught.”</p><p>“I’m not a dog” he pressed out through gritted teeth.</p><p>“I agree. One might actually have a chance with you, then.” With that, John left.</p><p>Dean sighed – he’d been drinking again; this usually happened when he did.</p><p>He sent a text to Sam – <em>might have to lie low for a few days, John’s on the war path</em> – and resigned himself to having to climb out the window and time his visits to the kitchen when he got hungry. He was becoming quite good at that.</p><hr/><p>The next few days passed quickly, even though he didn’t hear form or see Dean – as a matter of fact, Sam let him know why one day on the street, coming up to talk to him and confirming that John had been rather put out by Dean going to the bar and that Dean felt he should behave by John’s standards.</p><p>Sadly Sam had had no idea how long he would behave for, and so Castiel was left alone.</p><p>Normally he would have welcomed that, but he found himself missing Dean without being able to say why. True, Dean had been the first person to talk to him for a longer period of time since… since ever, but that didn’t mean –</p><p>“Hey, Feathers, look what I brought you” Crowley had, as usual, not bothered to let him know he’d come, instead materializing in his tower. He held out a small box.</p><p>Castiel took it and studied it. “A phone?”</p><p>“Yep. Newest on the market. Bluetooth and wi-fi and whatnot… you know, all that stuff the humans without powers need.”</p><p>“But… why?”</p><p>“Well, it comes with the gig.”</p><p>“I don’t understand.”</p><p>“Any guardian angel of Hollowground is to be issued his own cell phone. Article 3 subsection b-7 of the town constitution.”</p><p>“I don’t think that’s actually –“</p><p>“For God’s sake, Feathers, just take the damn phone” he rolled his eyes. “I took the liberty of saving a few numbers, you know the important ones, mine for one.”</p><p>Castiel needed a few moments to understand what he was supposed to do, then he found the phone book.</p><p>Yes, there was Crowley, and right underneath –</p><p>Dean.</p><p>“I thought about saving him under something like Green eyes, but I wanted to make sure you understood.”</p><p>“Thank you” he said honestly.</p><p>Crowley waved a hand in the air. “Pah. I just like to create some chaos now and then – demon, you know – and getting Dean awa from John Winchester will undoubtedly lead to one.”</p><p>Castiel couldn’t quite follow his logic there, and said so.</p><p>“You can’t understand, you’re an angel”.</p><p>He had quickly realized that Crowley used this excuse whenever he felt Castiel was winning.</p><p>“And? What do you say to this new magical surge?”</p><p>Castiel had felt it too, the night before. “I don’t know.”</p><p>Crowley shook his head, “Neither do I, and that’s what worries me. Between us, we should be able to tell where it’s coming from and whatever who is controlling it wants – because that’s for certain, it definitely isn’t developing naturally.”</p><p>No, it wasn’t. Magic was a fact of life, every child knew that, and those susceptible to it, like humans capable of performing spells and creatures could train themselves to feel it; but this was something else.</p><p>This wasn’t normal magic, but neither was it completely malicious. It was difficult to describe.</p><p>“Too bad Dean’s useless. We could have used a familiar.”</p><p>“Dean’s not useless” he said, feeling rather indignant.</p><p>Crowley rolled his eyes. “I meant in that regard. He’d be the last person to be angry at me for saying it.”</p><p>Castiel could easily believe that. Someone like Dean, who had happily befriended the town’s only demon and guardian angel – who was so curious and friendly and loved to simply be among people – would also admit his own limitations; and furthermore, he knew Crowley and would have been aware that it wasn’t meant as an insult, even though many would have considered it one.</p><p>“Well, we better keep our eyes and ears wide open. I don’t want anything to happen to my city.”</p><p>Despite everything, Crowley cared deeply for Hollowground and its citizens, Castiel had been aware of that for a while now.</p><p>“I will do my best” he therefore promised.</p><p>“Great. And please do keep my appraised of any developments.”</p><p>“I understood that as a matter of course –“</p><p>“I meant with Dean” he said with an expression Castiel couldn’t quite interpret before vanishing once more.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dean was read to start climbing the walls. While John had eventually unlocked the door after sobering up – he usually did – he hadn’t apologized – he usually didn’t – and he certainly had shown no signs of seeing things in a different way from now on – something he probably never would.</p><p>And Dean – Dean had been a good little not-really-familiar and had done what was asked of him, while constantly calling Sam and Bobby and Crowley if only to stay sane.</p><p>He doubted it was working though because he was seriously starting to consider the knives in the kitchen as a method to –</p><p>He reminded himself for the umpteenth time that he had ever reason to be thankful to John, that he wouldn’t exist without him, but it didn’t really do anything to change his feelings.</p><p>And then his text alert rang out. It was his normal, boring one, proving he hadn’t yet given whoever was texting him a special tune to let him know who it was in an instant.</p><p>He stared at the text, a grin slowly spreading across his face.</p><p>
  <em>Hello, Dean. I hope I am not inconveniencing you by texting you, but Crowley seemed to think you would have nothing against it, and I do believe that he understands social clues far better than I do, having been on earth for a longer period of time. I do not even know why I am texting you other than tat I wanted to, which is not a sensation I am familiar with. </em>
</p><p>That was a whole novel – and just so like Cas, honest and open and – oh God, Dean was in trouble. No, Dean was in Trouble, with a capital t, because… well…</p><p>To be honest… he had never been drawn to someone like this before. He knew the basics, of course, knew what all of this entailed or was supposed to entail, but he’d always considered it prudent to live a little before he started playing around with that kind of thing. Fewer complications, for one thing, especially since John wouldn’t be pleased. Because he wants to control you, and if you had someone, someone who was yours and you were theirs, then that would be more difficult –</p><p>Disloyal, he was very well aware that he was being disloyal. But he couldn’t help it.</p><p>Right. Back to the something much more pleasant – Cas’ text.</p><p>
  <em>Sam has informed me that you consider it the best course of action to stay home and abide by your father’s rule for a few days, and while I can see the merit of this course of action, I cannot den that I have found myself missing your presence at the bar. This doesn’t make sense since we’ve only spoken twice, but I still feel that way. </em>
</p><p>Oh my God, he actually said it. Dean himself, who had, as established, little experience when it came to relationships, still knew that this wasn’t normal – at least not in the beginning, because folks tended to make things needlessly complicated.</p><p>Just look at John.</p><p>
  <em>So I thought I would send you a text, due to my belief that this is a normal reaction In this situation. I hope you’re doing well, <br/>Castiel.</em>
</p><p>He started typing so quickly he almost missed a few letters.</p><p>
  <strong>Heya Cas, feeling alright, think John’s about to lets me out again soon. Miss you too ;) Dean</strong>
</p><p>The answer came swiftly.</p><p>
  <em>Is that a smiley at the end of your message? Castiel</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>Yeah, Cas, that would be a smiley. </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Ah; the human habit of using them and so-called emojis has confused me for some time. </em>
</p><p>
  <strong>They’re fun, Cas, plus you know, a way to communicate quickly. </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>So you wanted to wink at me?</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>Yep. Since I can’t do it in person and all. </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Dean, are you flirting with me?</em>
</p><p>He stared at his phone. With anyone else, he would have assumed that they were flirting by asking if he was; but this was Cas, and he was most likely asking because he didn’t know.</p><p>
  <strong>Yeah, I am. Is that a problem?</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>No one has ever flirted with me.</em>
</p><p>That wasn’t exactly an answer.</p><p>Thankfully, a new text arrived.</p><p>
  <em>There was a demon called Meg once, who passed through town, but I believe she was mostly joking or drawn to my looks. </em>
</p><p>Those were some pretty good looks, but he couldn’t very well interrupt him now…</p><p>Another one.</p><p>
  <em>Her attempts made me uncomfortable, but this doesn’t seem to be the case here. No, Dean. I don’t think it is a problem, and that confuses me. </em>
</p><p>
  <strong>We could be confused together, if you want to. </strong>
</p><p>That was almost asking him out on a date, and Dean waited with baited breath for Cas’ answer.</p><p>Until finally came two minutes later.</p><p>
  <em>I believe I would like that, yes. </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Castiel wasn’t quite sure what he had just done.</p><p>Not, that wasn’t true. He was rather sure what he had done – after all, it wasn’t difficult to remember that he had been texting with Dean, and that they’d had a conversation about – about –</p><p>That was just the problem.</p><p>In the twenty years he’d been on earth, Castiel had never been attracted to anyone, and he certainly hadn’t sought companionship of that kind, like Crowley did on a regular basis. It had never appealed to him.</p><p>But, as the days had stretched before him and he had stared at Dean’s number in the phone Crowley had given him, he had slowly but surely come to realize that the reason he felt differently about Dean than the other inhabitants of Hollowground was that… well this was different.</p><p>It wasn’t just that Dean was beautiful. Castiel had seen other handsome people (although none as much so as Dean, something in him whispered) and they had never made him feel this way, like he wanted to get to know him inside and out, know his opinions and feelings about everything under the sun, see him every day if possible… No; this was no mere admiration of beauty.</p><p>It was that he was a good man, he’d instantly been able to tell, and not just because his soul shone so brightly that, if he’d had been human, he would have needed sunglasses. No, because he was fully capable of caring for himself and yet stayed with John out of gratitude; because he hadn’t allowed the rules he lived under to make him in any way bitter; because he still chose to make friends in the town – and wasn’t him being so well-liked another proof of how good a man he was? There were many who would never gain the universal approval he’d managed to obtain – and he stayed positive, no matter what happened.</p><p>And they had only talked in person once. And yet Castiel knew all of this about him.</p><p>Yes, Dean was an enigma, but a wonderful, amazing one, and Castiel wanted to know all there was about him, and find out as quickly as he could.</p><p>Yes, he was attracted to Dean.</p><p>And from his replies to his texts, it seemed the feeling was mutual.</p><p>The question was how to proceed.</p><p>There as someone he could ask, of course – but he wasn’t sure if he should.</p><hr/><p>“You’re chipper today” John observed.</p><p>Dean didn’t bother to hide his smile. He’d been whistling a he prepared dinner.</p><p>He was on cloud freaking nine. Cas found him attractive, at the very least, and who knew what could happen? “Good day, that’s all.”</p><p>John nodded. “Yes. A good day. A safe day.”</p><p>Dean suppressed a sigh. Of course John would point out that he was happy because he was indoors, far away from any dangers Hollowground presented, instead of asking him why he was happy.</p><p>Nothing to it, he had to pretend. “Actually, I was reading.”</p><p>He’d hardly have understood if Dean told him about Cas, but on the other hand…</p><p>“Sam called. Apparently he’s been getting to know Castiel lately.”</p><p>“The angel?” John asked.</p><p>“Yes, him.”</p><p>“Hm. Wings and haloes and all that”.</p><p>Dean wasn’t sure if that was approval, but he would take it. “Yep, that’s him alright.”</p><p>“For my part, never saw the point of having a guardian angel. I mean, what’s he ever done for us?”</p><p>“He looks after the town, everyone knows that.”</p><p>John rolled his eyes. “And? Has he even saved one life?”</p><p>He knew that tone, and so he resigned himself to saying nothing.</p><p>Only for all his hopes to be dashed when John continued. “He’d come here shortly before my Mary died. And so, I figured, he’s an angel, isn’t that kind of his thing, looking after souls and all that, and they say they can heal people… so bringing her back to life should have been easy for him. But you know what he said when I asked? He stood up straight and stared at me with those creepy eyes of his and told me people are meant to move on and that Mary undoubtedly would have wanted me to do so as well. My Mary! He didn’t even know her! And yet he dared tell me that to my face…”</p><p>The longer the rant continued, the more Dean’s heart sank.</p><p>Wonderful. Not only did he have to catch feelings for the only angel for miles around, but it was one his creator had a particular grudge against because he wouldn’t play Frankenstein and resurrect his dead wife when he demanded it off him, as if he owed him a favour.</p><p>He could imagine it now, a young, angry John yelling at Castiel over his refusal...</p><p>This did not bode well.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Castiel was trying very hard to remember why he had thought this was a good idea.</p><p>“You have to woo him, of course” Crowley was telling him, grinning brightly. “Flowers, chocolate, the whole nine yards. Dean won’t be able tor resist you. Or, you know, you could bring him some nuts, for his Squirrel cheeks.”</p><p>“Dean is <em>not</em> a squirrel” he said tiredly.</p><p>“If you say so, Cassie. But you see, seduction is an art. Thankfully for you, one of which I am a master.”</p><p>Castiel didn’t doubt that; there had been rumours in town as to what Crowley got up to in his mansion, for almost as long as he’d been mayor, Ellen had told him.</p><p>“Now, we need a plan…”</p><p>Only later would Castiel ask himself why Crowley was so enthusiastic about the prospect.</p><hr/><p>Now that they had made a declaration – in a way – Dean couldn’t wait to meet Cas again. And so, here he was, on a Thursday afternoon, walking up to his tower. John had to do in the garage, so he had simply walked out the front door.</p><p>Who cared what John would say afterward? He really really wanted to visit Cas, so that was what he was going to do.</p><p>He knocked on the door.</p><p>Cas seemed surprised to see him. “Dean? Is everything alright?”</p><p>“Yeah, sure, just wanted to visit you, is all”. He held up the bag he’d stopped at Ellen’s bar for. “Have you ever had one of Ellen’s burgers?”</p><p>“No?” he said it as if the thought had never occurred to him, and it probably hadn’t, and so he asked, “Can I come in?”</p><p>Cas blinked, then realized he was blocking his way. “Of course.”</p><p>He stepped aside.</p><p>Dean looked around. It was sparsely furnished but seemed comfortable enough. “Where’s your kitchen?”</p><p>Cas pointed out the room. “I don’t use it, but Crowley insisted I should have one.”</p><p>“Crowley. Can’t understand why anyone would forego the simple comforts in life – or <em>any</em> comforts, really.”</p><hr/><p>Actually, asking Dean out to dinner had eventually been one of the more logical ways of “wooing him” Crowley had suggested, but now Dean had brought him food – was that a good sign, as the humans would probably have said? Certainly it was. But of what?”</p><p>Dean was busy putting the burgers on plates, and Cas was struck with how much he seemed already at home in the place even though he’d arrived only a few short minutes ago.</p><p>It was another thing that didn’t make any sense when it came to Dean but yet felt incredibly right.</p><p>“Trust me, you’re in for the treat of a lifetime” he told him, and Castiel wondered if he knew just how captivating his eyes looked when he was enthusiastic about something. Probably. Humans normally knew when they were good-looking, at least so he’d come to believe.</p><p>But still, that didn’t diminish his attractions in the slightest.</p><p>Nor did the fact that when he ate the burger it was everything Dean had promised and more.</p><p>“These” he told him “Make me very happy.”</p><p>He grinned once more. “Told you.”</p><hr/><p>Watching Cas eat burgers for the first time was a revelation – and Dean vowed to himself then and there that he would make sure Cas got to try many more things that he hadn’t yet thought of. This was what life on earth was all about, wasn’t it? Enjoying yourself while you could.</p><p>And they’d both have a lot of time on their hands, so…</p><p>“So, Cas, what you’ve been up to?”</p><p>As he answered – Dean wondered why this felt so domestic already.</p><p>Although he rather thought knew the answer.</p><p>Things with John had never truly been domestic, for the simple reason that, for all his talk about being his father, he didn’t really treat him like a parent – as Dean had quickly realized when he had found the time to observe Ellen and Joe and how close they were. John rarely, if ever, shared his innermost thoughts with him, or talked about his plans for the future; nor did he ever seem very interested in Dean’s own, but that wasn’t to be expected anyway, not when he didn’t want him to even contemplate leaving the house.</p><p>Cas though – Cas was interested in what he had to say, and enthusiastic about trying out new things, and he’d never considered Dean a lesser being just because he happened to be a familiar without magic.</p><p>Maybe things would have turned out differently if he could have helped John with his experiments. Maybe. Maybe not. It was hard to tell.</p><p>But at the same time, right now Dean couldn’t really be angry at his fate. Not if it had led him to this.  </p><p>Hell, he was having burgers with an angel. What could beat that?  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After that first visit, Dean and Cas began to see more of one another. John – miraculously or perhaps not so miraculously, since Dean had been beginning to suspect that, for reasons only he knew, Crowley wanted them to spend time together – was kept busy with different jobs, and as long as it was nothing he felt needed Dean’s help for, he simply had to work around his schedule; plus he still spent a lot of time in his garage.</p><p>Sam, of course, thought he should just try and talk to him. “He can’t forbid you from dating –“</p><p>They were having lunch at Ellen’s, since Cas had been called to a sickbed. Many considered it a solace for the ill to see the guardian angel there.</p><p>“We’re not yet dating – officially.” Despite them more or less deciding to try and enjoy each other’s company as often as possible, they were not yet an item – not that Dean would have had anything against it.</p><p>“Yeah, well, everyone who sees you two together knows it’s only a matter of time, so… when <em>are</em> you going to tell John?”</p><p>It was a tactic of Sam’s he tried every few months, to attempt and get Dean to tell John to stuff it and ideally move out. He had even offered him a place at his apartment multiple times, sometimes backed by Bobby as well. It wasn’t that Dean was not grateful – it was simply that his gratitude was pulled into all kinds of different directions.</p><p>Only now another direction was also there, a direction that was very tempting indeed. He liked Cas, they had fund when they spent time together, they seemed to compliment one another perfectly, and yes – he had already suggested a few small improvements on the tower that the angel for some reason hadn’t yet thought of.</p><p>Good God, they were really sort of dating, weren’t they? But he couldn’t just… or could he?</p><p>“Just think about it” Sam urged him.</p><p>Dean was starting to think that he might not have to do that, really.</p><p>Because when it came to a life with and a life without Cas, the first option would win every time.</p><p>Add to that the other temptations – being able to go when and where he liked, do what he wanted; see Sam and his other friends whenever he chose to; never having to answer question upon question when returning home…</p><p>It sounded too good to be true, as if Dean couldn’t actually be that lucky.</p><p>Sam wisely chose to say nothing, being aware that he would go over it all over and over in his head no matter what. He really knew him very well, for only having been around two years.</p><hr/><p>They were near the end of their meal when Ellen decided to join them for a beer. “Well, boys, no Castiel today?”</p><p>Hollowground had grown used to seeing Dean and Cas together, it seemed – at least there had been no comments, only a few confused look, and some – yes, some had even been envious ones.</p><p>Damn right. Dean was dating an angel. They should be.</p><p>“Nah, he’s busy.”</p><p>She nodded. “Can’t be easy, with yours schedules.”</p><p>“John’s been occupied, so really, I didn’t have much to do.”</p><p>“What would you like to do?” Sam asked suddenly.</p><p>It was a question he had himself often contemplated. He loved cars, but that didn’t mean he had to work on them his entire life; and then there was – well –</p><p>He hadn’t told Sam, or Bobby, or even Cas.</p><p>But Dean possessed an embarrassingly large knowledge of magic for someone who couldn’t use it. Whenever a book about magic fell into his hands, he usually devoured it within hours, committing every single letter to memory.</p><p>Maybe, deep down, he felt that he was <em>supposed</em> to know how to do this, to practise it. He was, after all, a magical being. He had been created to use magic, to amplify it, to help other magic users. To eb able to feel and use it. To make the most of the gifts nature had granted them. It was at the core of his very soul.</p><p>If he was being honest, if he thought about it too long, he felt incomplete.</p><p>But that wouldn’t help, would it, and so he shrugged and smiled and mumbled something about having to figure that out.</p><p>Sam threw him a curious glance but said nothing.</p><p>Ellen promised to bring them pie – pecan of course – and bustled away.</p><p>However, as was the story of Dean’s life, he wasn’t fated to enjoy his favourite treat in peace.</p><p>For, quite suddenly, Crowley appeared in front of them. “Squirrel, Moose, sorry to interrupt your lunch – but it seems that a magical – problem of some kind – has appeared right next to Castiel’s tower.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dean said a silent prayer of thanks that Cas was nowhere near his home at the moment – if he knew something about hi- about the angel, then it was that he wouldn’t hesitated to throw himself in harm’s way if it meant saving the city, and a magical – <em>something</em> (and it was never a good sign when Crowley was unsure what was going on, he had learned that pretty early in his existence) sounded like something dangerous.</p><p>Or not.</p><p>Because as soon as they arrived – Sam had come with, of course – Crowley cursed. “If I find the fool who did this to my city, I am going to tear him apart with my own hands.”</p><p>Dean thought it wasn’t difficult to see why.</p><p>The worst part of it was that it wasn’t something after all.</p><p>No, this was – this was –</p><p>This was nothing.</p><p>Oh, not nothing as in nothing to worry about – quite the opposite.</p><p>This was <em>Nothing</em>, a – not, not even grey mass; you couldn’t call something grey that wasn’t, that wasn’t anything, how, how – something that made you feel like you’d gone blind as you looked at it.</p><p>Dean certainly had never cared to find out how that felt.</p><p>“What’s that?”</p><p>Crowley seemed to finally have realized what was going on, although sadly, it wasn’t good news by any stretch of the imagination.</p><p>The demon took a deep breath. “Someone – doesn’t matter where; this can happen wherever once the chain of events has been put into place – has tried playing with reality itself. Some wizards do that. Don’t know why, but that’s what that causes – a rift.”</p><p>“A rift in what?”</p><p>“The fabric of reality?”</p><p>Dean closed his eyes. “Could have had better news.”</p><p>“Sorry Squirrel.”</p><p>“So what do we do now?”</p><p>For the first time since he had known him, Crowley actually looked embarrassed. “I’m afraid I don’t quite know. We need Cassie – angels are far more acquainted with all that different plains of existence stuff.”</p><p>Dean could have pointed out that Crowley came from hell, but what for? Maybe he was right, and it was after all Cas’ home that was on the line. He deserved to know.</p><p>And so, they went looking for him, only to find him at the bottom of the hill, coming up.</p><p>His face lit up. “Dean!”</p><p>And damn him if it didn’t make his heart speed up.</p><p>“What’s going on?” he aske immediately when he saw Sam and Crowley next to him.</p><p>“Well, isn’t that the question, Feathers.”</p><hr/><p>“I have never seen something like this. I have heard about it, of course, but still…”</p><p>How he could call that <em>of course</em> was a mystery to Dean, but if it made him happy…</p><p>“Yes, well, Cassie, we’re going to need more than that” Crowley drawled. “So why don’t you run off to heaven and find out what we need to do –“</p><p>“Now wait a moment –“</p><p>Dean hadn’t realized that this meant Cas was going to leave.</p><p>“I meant for a few minutes, Squirrel, not forever. Go on, kiss lover boy goodbye so he’s satisfied and off you pop.”</p><p>Dean blushed fiercely.</p><p>“We haven’t kissed yet” Cas replied matter-of-factly “Although I would not be averse to it.”</p><p>“Too much information, Feathers, although if you want me to watch, I wouldn’t be –“</p><p>“Crowley.”</p><p>“Right, right, the decorum or whatever you wish to call it. Well then.”</p><p>“I’ll see you soon, Dean” Cas promised and was gone.</p><p>What surprised Dean about it all wasn’t that was every so slightly worried that he wouldn’t return after all – even though he knew Cas would never abandon Hollowground in its time of need, and hopefully wouldn’t just leave Dean, either, but how much he wished he had followed Crowley’s advice and kissed him, despite both the demon and Sammy looking on. They had yet to touch more than fleetingly, accidentally; Cas had certainly never reached out to him; and yet Dean could tell it wasn’t for lack of wanting.</p><p>Truth was, they were both so very new to this – he didn’t think Cas had ever wanted anyone (and he didn’t say that because he thought so much of himself, but because – well, Heaven simply didn’t work like earth in that regard) and Dean…</p><p>Yes, he had occasionally been tempted. Who wouldn’t have been? Left to his own devices when John didn’t need him and yet all but forbidden from leaving the house, fantasies had often been everything he had, when he hadn’t risked his creator’s wrath in order to escape for a few hours.</p><p>And yet… not a single one of his fantasies could ever have prepared him for Cas. So hot, and clever, and friendly, and – everything one could wish for in a partner.</p><p>Dean swore than and there that he would tell him so as soon as this was over and dealt with.</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Nothing was growing. There could be doubt about it; it was practically doing so before their very eyes.</p><p>Neither Sam nor Crowley strayed away from his side, for which Dean as thankful, because for some reason, Dean couldn’t turn away. He just <em>couldn’t</em>.</p><p>There was something, something here for him… and he wasn’t just talking about waiting for Cas coming back. He was ready to do that forever if he needed to.</p><p>But…</p><p>Something –</p><p>Something inside him was calling to him, when he didn’t know how to interpret, how to understand, whether or not it was even telling him to do something or to run.</p><p>If the later – again, he couldn’t.</p><p>And so he stayed put.</p><p>“When I get whoever did this” Crowley mumbled another one of his usual threats when he got frustrated.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, feel free to do whatever you want” Dean answered simply.</p><p>Of course Crowley noticed immediately. “Squirrel, what’s going on?” he asked.</p><p>“Yeah, you’ve been starting at… <em>this</em> ever since Cas disappeared” Sam supplied unhelpfully.</p><p>“I – I don’t know. I just know that me being here is important, alright?”</p><p>Maybe, in another city but Hollowground, they would have looked and laughed at him; then again, he was talking to a demon and a golem, so maybe not.</p><p>Whatever.</p><p>“Tell us” Crowley said, and perhaps he wouldn’t have, if his – if his friend hadn’t sounded sincere for the first time in such a long time, maybe ever since he had known him, that he had no idea how to say no to him.</p><p>And so he did.</p><p>Sam frowned when he was done. “I’m a magical creature too, but I don’t feel anything.”</p><p>“That’s different” Crowley said, and dear God, did he actually look – worried?</p><p>“You were created – well, don’t take this personally, Moose, but golems are often used as free labour. You’re lucky Bobby decided you should have free will.”</p><p>“Oh trust me, I know.”</p><p>“But Dean – John must have –“</p><p>For a second he stopped, and Dean didn’t like the look in his eyes one bit, but then he continued “What I mean to say, is that Dean was made using a spell that normally binds familiars to those who practice magic. He was made with magic in mind – it makes sense that he should be more receptive towards magic. And again – this is clearly magical.”</p><p>“What gave it away” Sam bean, but Dean interrupted him.</p><p>“I now. All my life, I’ve –“ he stopped because it sounded ridiculous even to his own ears. He hadn’t been alive for more than three years now but they seemed to get it.</p><p>“Of course” Crowley mumbled. “Something must have gone wrong during the process”. It was clear that he meant Dean’s creation.</p><p>“Tell me about it, will you.”</p><p>“Not what I meant, I was talking about whatever and whoever created this.”</p><p>Well then.</p><p>Suddenly, Cas appeared again.</p><p>Alright, Dean didn’t care much for that expression.</p><hr/><p>“Crowley was right. Someone tried to breach the wall between the worlds, but not exactly in the way he meant.”</p><p>A pause.</p><p>“Care to explain, Cas?” Dean asked.</p><p>“It’s not just a breach between the world they were attempting but a very specific one.” Cas took a  deep breath even though he didn’t need it and then said, “Whoever did this wanted to breach the gap between this world and the next.”</p><p>“You mean –“</p><p>“Great. Someone trying to contact the dead. Just what we needed” Crowley stated.</p><p>“But – they had to know that that was dangerous!”</p><p>“Grieving people” he remarked “Don’t always know what’s best, or think logically, I’m afraid.”</p><p>“That’s true” Cas said simply. “I have often been approached by those who have recently lost someone.”</p><p>“And what did you do?” Sam wanted to know, naturally.</p><p>“I – it would be no good of me, to try and explain or… people and life – they both have to move on.”</p><p>That made sense to Dean; he supposed that mortals must be a resilient bunch, or they wouldn’t have been as persistent as they were.</p><p>“So what do we do?”</p><p>Somehow, he already knew when he watched Cas’ face fall that he didn’t want to hear the answer to his inquiry.</p><hr/><p>“What do you mean, it’s too strong?”</p><p>“Whoever closes the gap – they – they won’t make it. If we had an amplifier, someone who could bundle the magic involved –“</p><p>“Like a familiar” Dean interrupted him.</p><p>“Yes, but –“</p><p>“Well, then use me!”</p><p>“Dean, it’s incredibly dangerous –“</p><p>“Yeah, and danger is my middle name. Just ask John.”</p><p>“No way” Sam said. “Forget it, you can’t just –“</p><p>"Sorry, Moose, but this is Dean’s decision” Crowley stated, looking between them and the Nothing. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but I can feel it.”</p><p>Cas, who had been studying Dean, sighed, “Me too” and just like that, he knew that at least the three of them had known, in a magical, unpredictable way, what would happen the second they had seen the problem.  </p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So you are saying Dean and Cas are just going to try and close this – this breach? And no one else gets a say in this?”</p><p>“It’s advancing towards Hollowground, Sam” Dean said. “We don’t have time for anything else.”</p><p>“But – but it always goes on the – on the –“</p><p>“Yeah, Power tends to rebound on the familiar. But I am not a familiar, not a real one, am I”?</p><p>Yes, there could be no doubt about it – Crowley was worried, more worried than Dean had ever seen him, as he studied him. “You’d be surprised, Dean.”</p><p>“Well, yeah, let’s just use some angel mojo and get through this, shall we.” He turned to Crowley one more time. “Look after my city.”</p><p>He nodded.</p><p>He went to face Sam. “Sammy, if this goes wrong… will you be the one to tell John?”</p><p>He grimaced but nodded. “Of course.”</p><p>“And tell the others – tell the others we tried our best, even if it all goes pear-shaped.”</p><p>“It won’t” Cas said quietly. “I’ll make sure of it.”</p><p>He looked – he looked very sad.</p><p>Dean decided he might as well enjoy this while it lasted and dragged him into their very first kiss.</p><p>“Hey” he whispered against his lips afterward, “We’re both going to make it. And afterward, we’ll talk about all of this, alright?”</p><p>Cas nodded, apparently feeling a little better, which was all Dean had wanted.</p><p>He took his hand. “Well then. Don’t worry; I know all about –“</p><p>“Magic. I know. You’ve made several allusions to it during our talks, our time spent together.”</p><p>His lips twitched. “Was wondering whether you’d caught on. Crowley, bring Sam away from here.”</p><p>“No, wait a second –“</p><p>But Crowley had already complied, and they were alone.</p><p>Dean took a deep breath. “Well then. Lead on, Macduff.”</p><p>“I have read the play in question, and I think it’s –“</p><p>“Go on, Cas, try it” he urged him. ”We need to deal with this as fast as possible.”</p><p>And so, they faced the Nothing.</p><p>Together.</p><hr/><p>Cas squeezed his hand. “I will try and close this – Gabriel actually called it a hole in-between the worlds.”</p><p>“Alright then, I will do my best to channel any magic I can your way.” He knew theoretically how it should go – knew it inside and out – could have recited it in his sleep – even though it had never worked when John had tried to work with him.</p><p>But this was Cas, so he did what he had always done when it was demanded of him, closed his eyes and willed the magic surrounding them, and –</p><p>Then, suddenly, as if he had always been able to, as if it was no big deal, he felt it.</p><p>He felt it and he could reach out and touch it and –</p><p>Yes, there it was, calling to him, like it had done all his life, only he hadn’t understood, he hadn’t been able to –</p><p>And he took it in, moving it onward to Cas, willing the gap to be healed, the breach top be gone.</p><p>
  <em>This world is something, not Nothing. Nothing has no place here. Come on. </em>
</p><p>On and on they went; Dean could feel it working.</p><p>Once, it was true, he was distracted, for right there, in the middle of the magic that was the cause of all of this, he could feel – something familiar, something he had known all his life – but he brushed it aside for now, concentrated back on the task at hand –</p><p>And then It was done.</p><p>He opened his eyes; the world was spinning, at least he thought so for a second until he realized no, that was just him.</p><p>Cas’ arms holding him up. “Dean –“</p><p>“We made it” he managed to slur, grinning. “We freaking made it, Cas.”</p><p>And then everything turned black.</p><hr/><p>When he came to, the first thing he heard was someone ranting.</p><p>And it wasn’t difficult to guess who this someone was. “How could you let the idjit do this –“</p><p>“He was adamant, Bobby –“</p><p>“And he made it –“</p><p>“Oh, <em>you</em> better take care, you damn demon, I’m coming for you especially –“</p><p>“I’d like to see you try”.</p><p>“Shut up boys or you’re grounded” he mumbled, interrupting Bobby’s, Sam’s and Crowley’s fight.</p><p>“Dean!”.</p><p>Cas was still holding his hand.</p><p>He opened his eyes. Clearly, he was at Ellen’s place; she was busy cooling his forehead with a cloths, shaking her head. “One can’t let you alone for one second.”</p><p>Dean sat up.</p><p>“You really shouldn’t –“ Sam tried.</p><p>“Sorry, Sammy, but I know who’s behind all of this”. He turned to Crowley. “I – when we – closed the gap – I felt –“ he paused or a moment, and Crowley uncharacteristically allowed him to calm himself before he pronounced, “John. That was John’s magic, I am sure of it.”</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It took Dean another hour to get up, not because he couldn’t – on the contrary, now that he had finally, <em>finally</em>, access to magic, could feel that he had indeed been created, if not by, through it and for it, it was replenishing itself quickly and effortlessly, and he was soon feeling rather wonderful, all things considered – but because everyone insisted on bustling about, getting him some water, trying to take his temperature, or just generally looking in to check up on him; and of course Cas wouldn’t let go of his hand.</p><p>It was all rather wonderful, all things considered.</p><p>Still; some things had to be done, even if they were things he didn’t really want to do in the first place.</p><p>And so, with a heavy heart, he asked Cas, Sam and Crowley (who had lingered around with an expression that had obviously been carefully chosen to project “I don’t care I am just here to see how it ends”, although at this point, since he’d already beamed to Paris and back so Dean could have some éclairs, no one believed him) to accompany him.</p><p>Ellen and Bobby and a few others wanted to come with as well – Sheriff Mills’ name was dropped – and while Dean couldn’t deny that John had – well – that he had endangered them all and had apparently mostly tried to use him – for his only goal, really his very only goal in all of this, could have been to get back Mary, and Mary alone – but he had still created him, still referred to himself as his father; he deserved to be heard, at least; and so they went.</p><p>Plus, they had Crowley with them. One wrong word and the problem would probably be dealt with. Not that Dean (even with how angry he felt upon realizing that, considering the amount of power involved, John must have been alright with the thought of him burning up) wanted that.</p><p>Soon enough, they were standing in front of the house he’d lived the last three years on. He squeezed Cas’ hand – they had yet to let go of one another – and searched for his key.</p><p>John was in the living room, looking for all the world as if he had just been in the garage all day, and Dean couldn’t deny that he was somewhat impressed by his cold-bloodedness. “John.”</p><p>“Dean, where have you –“ his eyes widened as he saw their group and realized that he and Cas were holding hands. “Was is this?”</p><p>Cas automatically moved to half-cover Dean with one of his wings; he wished he could have cuddled into the feathers, but that would have to wait until they were alone. “You know Cas? MY boyfriend.”</p><p>“You don’t have a boyfriend. You are much too young –“</p><p>“Oh yes” Crowley said. “Many people are too young for the things they are doing. For example, I would argue that anyone under the age of two hundred Is much too young for playing around with the worlds of the living and the dead.”</p><p>He paled as he jumped up form the sofa. “I don’t know what you mean.”</p><p>“Really. So that nice little breach between this world and the next that was next to Cas’ tower was just what? Coincidence?”</p><p>“I don’t know what you mean” he said stubbornly. “Dean, go to your room.”</p><p>“I won’t.”</p><p>“You are going to –“</p><p>Quite suddenly, Crowley vanished, only to appear again in a few moments with several grimoires in his hands. Dean had heard of them, but never seen them before.</p><p>“Look what I found in someone’s garage.”</p><p>Seemed like John had used the fact that Dean had wanted less and less to do with that over time to his advantage.</p><p>“I – those are mine!”</p><p>“No they’re not” Den said quietly, remembering something he had once read. “Really magical grimoires… they belong to themselves and those who are fortunate enough that they give themselves to the,”. His eyes strayed to the pictures on the fireplace – how often had he wondered if his would stand there one day? “It was all for her, wasn’t it: For Mary.”</p><p>At this, John broke. “She was so young” he whispered. “It wasn’t fair. And your angel” he spat “he wouldn’t help me.”</p><p>“But John” Sam tried “Life isn’t fair.”</p><p>“Who cares about that? I just wanted her back!”</p><p>“And you were ready to risk Dean’s life to –“</p><p>“I made him! I had the right!”</p><p>And then, Crowley was backing him up against the wall. “No one has a right to those they create, through natural or magical means” he hissed and Dean knew there as a story there he might hear one day.</p><p>Crowley let go of John and he fell down like a rag doll.</p><p>Apparently, realizing that now what he wanted would never come to pass had made the fight leave him.</p><p>He simply asked “So what happens now?”</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dean didn’t realize he was the one who was supposed to – who was considered to have any right to pronounce the verdict – until Sam quietly said his name.</p><p>He looked at John, who was shaking. The man who had given him life to use him, the man who had tried to bring his wife back from the dead for love but never wasted a single thought on whether Dean might be harmed in the process, the man who had been so worried for him he’d forbidden him from leaving the house but only so that he could channel magic through him.</p><p>Complicated feelings whirled around in his breast.</p><p>He took a few deep breaths. There were things he had to ask. “John?”</p><p>He reluctantly met his eyes.</p><p>“Did you ever – did you really never worry I would be hurt?”</p><p>“I knew it was a possibility” he frankly admitted “But I didn’t think it was a high price.”</p><p>No, of course not. It was, after all, just Dean’s life that had been on the line, not something important.</p><p>And he wouldn’t even have allowed him to enjoy himself in the meantime, if he could have helped it.</p><p>For a second, for the blink of an eye, Dean was tempted to ask Crowley to deal with him and be done with it. He would surely have obliged him.</p><p>And yet – And yet –</p><p>“You gave me my life” he said quietly. “And I think my three years of servitude” for that was what they had been, he knew that now “were Moe than enough to make up for it, don’t you think?”</p><p>His face lit up with hope, but Dean recognized it as the repulsive hope born out of fear for his own hide, nothing else, certainly not worry about him or their relationship. “I – of course. You Cahn leave whenever you want –“</p><p>“That’s not what I meant, John.” He was very glad now that he had never called him <em>father</em>, no matter how many times he had hinted at it; John must have thought there was a chance he would eventually think of Mary as his mother and try to move Heaven and earth to bring he back. Thankfully he hadn’t succeeded. “I’m not the one who’s leaving. You are. Leaving this house. Leaving Hollowground. And leaving magic behind.” They couldn’t risk him simply starting over somewhere else.</p><p>He turned to Cas and Crowley. “Certainly you can bind what abilities he has?”</p><p>“Whatever you want, Squirrel.”</p><p>“Of course, Dean.”</p><p>“What? Howllowground is my home! This is where me and Mary were happy together –“</p><p>“And you think she would have wanted this? Twenty years of you living in the past, creating another being just to try and get her back?” He had always spoken of Mary as almost an angel, and while Dean didn’t quite believe that she had been that good a person, there was nothing to indicate she hadn’t at the very least been a decent human being.</p><p>“But –“</p><p>“John, it’s that or…” he let the implication hang in the air, himself rather unsure what he was threatening him with.</p><p>“But there’s always been a Winchester in Hollowground!”</p><p>“And there will be” Cas said quietly. “You called Dean your son yourself. He is welcome to the name of Winchester, if you ask the people.”</p><p>Had they been talking about him behind his back? They must have.</p><p>Dean kissed his head.</p><p>“Ugh, alright, too much PDA: Come on, Feathers, let’s do this.”</p><p>Joh, realizing he truly had no choice, allowed himself to be led away, and Dean suddenly knew that it was the last time he would ever set eyes on hi9m.</p><p>“Are you alright?” Sam asked as soon as they had escorted John next door.</p><p>“I –“ he thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. “Right now? I don’t know. Gonna be, though. Eventually.”</p><p>“You’ve got Cas.”</p><p>“I’ve got all of you, apparently.”</p><p>Sam’s eyes softened. “The whole town loves you. You never knew, did you?” He drew him into a hug. “I’m so glad you made it.”</p><p>“You won’t believe this” he joked, squeezing him tightly, “But me too.”</p><p>They decided to have beer in the kitchen.</p><p>A short while later Cas and Crowley came in. The demon made a face, snapped his fingers and had a glass of Craig in his hands. “That’s better.”</p><p>“He’s on his way out of town” Cas said. “With enough clothes and money to last him a while.”</p><p>“Cassie insisted on it.”</p><p>“Thank you” Dean said quietly. “Both of you.”</p><p>“Just making sure everything is going well in my city, Squirrel.”</p><p>“Of course, your Highness.”</p><p>Cas surprised him with a kiss. “I hope everything will be fine now, love.”</p><p>Dean blushed from head to toe, causing Sam to snigger.</p><p>“No reason why it shouldn’t” he forced out.</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Now that it was all over and dealt with, Dean realized he just felt... drained. And not because of the magic he had performed, but because of – everything. His life had just changed irrevocably, and although he knew it to be better, he had yet to completely understand it.</p><p>He took a deep breath. “I’ll pack.”</p><p>He didn’t want to stay in this house, where John had kept him so he might die to save his wife.</p><p>Maybe he could stay with Sammy for a while… and Bobby and Ellen certainly would offer him a place as well… hell, Crowley was perhaps ready to…</p><p>“Of course” Cas said suddenly, taking his hand again. “I’m taking you home, love.”</p><p>And that was apparently that.</p><hr/><p>There weren’t many things he wanted to take with him, he soon discovered. The few t-shirts and jeans he owned were soon packed, as were his books and records.</p><p>Cas didn’t leave his side, silently supporting him; and it quickly transpired that Sam and Crowley were busy cleaning out perishables from the fridge and just generally making sure the house was secure.</p><p>He would have to remind himself to thank them later, he thought as the fatigue properly set in. He picked up his bag. “I think that’s – “</p><p>A wooshing sound and they were standing in Cas’ living room.</p><p>“Huh. Neat.”</p><p>Cas’ arms wrapped around him and only then did he realize he was swaying slightly.</p><p>God he was tried.</p><p>“It’s alright, my love. I’ve got you.”</p><p>Yes, he did.</p><p>Sleep came.</p><hr/><p>When he came to, he was lying in Cas’ bed – granted, he’d hoped he’d first see it in quite different circumstances, but what could you do.</p><p>He’d enveloped him in his wings again and Dean couldn’t help but smile as he turned around to face him. “Hey. How long was I out?”</p><p>Cas hesitated for a moment, then reached out and stroked his cheek. “Five hours twenty-three minutes and forty-eight seconds.”</p><p>Man. “And you’ve been here all the time?”</p><p>“I liked holding you.”</p><p>Well, that did make him smile.</p><p>“You must be hungry”.</p><p>Dean realized that it was true, but he’d also have liked to stay exactly where he was. He sighed.</p><p>“Yep.”</p><p>Luckily, Cas had used their weeks of dating (he could call it that now, right?) to stock up his fridge, and there was more than enough food for Dean.</p><p>Cas watched him for a few minutes, then quietly asked, “What are your plans?”</p><p>Oh. Of course. They hadn’t been together long, they’d kissed twice – really, he couldn’t imagine – “I’m sure Sam or Bobby’ll put me up for a while” he supplied.</p><p>“No – I – I didn’t mean – I’ll be glad if you stayed.”</p><p>“You would?”</p><p>He wrapped his wing around his shoulder again. “Of course”.</p><p>Just like that.</p><p>Well, Dean had to kiss him then, and they were soon lost in a world of their own.</p><p>“Ah, young love. It’s almost enough to warm the burned-out, cold shell of my black heart.”</p><p>He pilled back and rolled his eyes. “Crowley.”</p><p>“Squirrel, Feathers. Just wanted to check up on things.”</p><p>Meaning he wanted to check up on Dean, but he wasn’t going to admit it. Naturally.</p><p>“We’re fine.”</p><p>“Good. That’s good.” Crowley sat down and summoned himself a glass of Craig. “now to the important things. You’re a powerful familiar; that makes you part of the City Council:”</p><p>“There is no City Council.”</p><p>“Of course there is. Me and Cassie.”</p><p>“I was never at a –“</p><p>“We held meetings regularly.”</p><p>“But you just showed up and started –“</p><p>“Well, Dean, what do you say?”</p><p>He looked at Crowley, then at Cas. “Guess we’re doing this.”</p><hr/><p>That evening, they went to Ellen’s on Dean’s insistence. He wanted people to know he was doing fine.</p><p>And indeed Joe stormed towards him as soon as they entered. “Dean!”</p><p>He picked her up and twirled her around. “Hey, you.”</p><p>When he put her down, her face fell. “We know. About John.”</p><p>Crowley had probably made sure it got around.</p><p>He nodded. “Alright.”</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Nothing you could do about it.”</p><p>“Yes, well… but hey, at least you got a boyfriend out of it.”</p><p>“Oh, trust me” he said, taking Cas’ hand, “I got so much more.”</p><hr/><p>People kept dropping in at their table, grinning, making jokes, just seemingly being happy that everything had turned out fine.</p><p>Dean had never realized just how much they cared.</p><p>Sam, of course, soon showed up as well and didn’t leave their side the entire evening, and Crowley and Bobby were quick on their heels.</p><p>It was, to put it mildly, a magical evening.</p><p>And when Dean later took his angel to their home – in the Impala; as he would soon discover, Crowley had insisted John leave Baby behind for him – he decided that every single moment of the lasts three years leading up to this had been worth it.</p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Over here, we're celebrating today, so MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dean had never properly celebrated Christmas before. John had all but stopped doing so after his wife died, and had never considered that he might want to. Grated, last year she’d managed to sneak to Bobby’s and see Sam, but that had been it.</p><p>But this year, there was nothing and no one holding him back.</p><p>It had been a few wild months.</p><p>Dean had never noticed just how much John’s presence in his life had kept him back, and for the first week or so, a part of him had still expected him to arrive at the tower and drag him home, like he used to do when he found him outside.</p><p>Not that Cas would have allowed that. They were slowly but surely growing closer and closer, sleeping in the same bed, cuddling and kissing whenever they could, and eventually… but well, gentlemen didn’t kiss and tell, so Dean refrained from going into details unless it was to annoy Sammy.</p><p>By now, he was indeed heaping Crowley run the city and learning more and more about his magic and how to use it.</p><p>When he wasn’t busy helping out Cas, of course.</p><p>Everything was going so well sometimes he woke up in a panic, wondering if it had all been a dream. But no; Cas was always there to assure him it wasn’t.</p><p>And so, here they were.</p><p>The town hall had been decorated for one hell of an epic Christmas Eve party, courtesy mostly to Ellen and Joe, who’d been used to do the same in a smaller scale for their bar; instead, this year, they were to be the caterers, since Dean had hinted so at Crowley during one of the Council meetings, and the demon had apparently reluctantly but actually enthusiastically agreed.</p><p>That reminded him. There was something he’d been meaning to ask him for a while now….</p><p>Cas’ warm arms wrapped around his waist. “It looks beautiful.”</p><p>“Hm. Ellen and Joe did a great job.”</p><p>He nuzzled his neck; Dean had quickly learned that, contrary to his assumptions, Cas was rather fond of PDA. He didn’t mind one bit. “It was a good idea of yours.”</p><p>“Just seemed, since we all escaped disaster this year, we should all celebrate together.”</p><p>“Thanks to you.”</p><p>“Thanks to us” he corrected him as always when he tried to act like it had all been Dean’s doing.</p><p>Cas smiled at him.</p><p>“Guys , can you stop making heart eyes at one another? There’s a problem with the –“</p><p>He sighed and they went to help Sammy.</p><hr/><p>Soon, people began to arrive, most of them immediately making a bee line for Dean and Cas, as usual these days.</p><p>“Dean!” Mrs. Leeds, an old lady with a herbal shop, beamed.</p><p>“Hello, Mrs. Leeds.”</p><p>“Such a nice idea to have the entire city celebrating together! Of course” she nodded towards Castiel, her eyes sparkling mischievously in a way that belied her age “For you, every day is a reason to celebrate, isn’t it?”</p><p>He laughed. “You can say that again.”</p><p>Sam came over to pull both of them into hugs, grinning brightly. “Wasn’t sure you two wouldn’t hide in a corner so you could be alone.”</p><p>“Trust me, we have plenty of time to enjoy one another.“</p><p>“Ugh. Alright, too much information. Anyway, should I tell the band to get ready?”</p><p>“Yeah, please.”</p><p>As soon as the first chords of music drifted through the air, he held out his hand to Cas. “May I have this dance?”</p><p>He nodded, his eyes alite wit happiness, so very different from the angel Dean had met just a few months ago.</p><hr/><p>The party was in full swing, and despite not having much experience, Dean was ready to bet that he’d always remember it as one of the best he’d ever attended.</p><p>Bobby, slightly tipsy, had just dragged Ellen to the dance floor; Sam was talking to one of the new doctors in the hospital, a blonde woman whose name Dean had yet to find out; Cas was currently chatting with Benny, a vampire and new addition to Hollowground; and he found himself next to Crowley, how handed him his very own glass of Craig.</p><p>And he remembered. “Hey, Crowley?”</p><p>“Hm, Squirrel?”</p><p>“The day I met Cas… awfully convenient he should be there too, and that you kept John busy.”</p><p>“Yes, isn’t it? The course of true love… how mysterious.”</p><p>He raised an eyebrow, rather unimpressed with it all. “So it can’t be that my powers were suppressing themselves because I was unhappy” – a concept he had only just read about – “And you didn’t want Cas to leave town?”</p><p>“Ah, Squirrel, Squirrel, Squirrel, you will have to let me keep my secrets.”</p><p>“Yes, well” he clinked his glass to Crowley’s. “Thanks anyway, and merry Christmas.”</p><p>“Maseltov.”</p><p>He caught Cas’ eyes and smiled.</p>
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<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>A few weeks ago</strong>
</p><p>He’d been wondering what to get Cas for Christmas for a while. After all, the guy was an angel; what could he need?</p><p>At the same time, it had bene exhilarating to finally openly go gift-shopping. Crowley had somehow managed to get him a monthly pay check for his job at the Council – God only knew how he kept the books, but as long as everything worked out, no one asked questions – so paying wasn’t a problem. On the contrary – it quickly transpired that many of the people he knew were trying to either not make him pay anything at all or give him discounts.</p><p>It was really touching, and to hide his emptions, he’d had to go home and listen to Christmas carols for an hour.</p><p>Still, eventually, he’d settled on one thing.</p><p>A ring.</p><p>Maybe it was too early. Who knew? It had only been a few months.</p><p>And yet…</p><p>This, he knew, was it. Cas was it for Dean. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t tried dating before, or that he’d never set foot outside of Hollowground until six months ago – a short holiday on the east coast, Crowley cheerfully telling them that they could travel whenever they wanted to – what mattered was that he knew, that they knew.</p><p>And he was certain, absolutely certain, that Cas felt the same way.</p><p>He couldn’t say how or why he knew, but that was what it was.</p><p>So a ring it had been when he’d browsed for gifts. Mrs. Leeds, who he’d bumped into as he’d left the jewellery store, had only smiled knowingly.</p><p>God what a difference a year could make. Last Christmas, he’d had to sneak out just to see those he loved, and now instead…</p><p>“Dean?”</p><p>He smiled as he walked into the kitchen to kiss his boyfriend hello.</p><p>
  <strong>Christmas Day</strong>
</p><p>He woke up slowly and opened his eyes to find Cas dozing next to him. He’d gotten in to the bait of sleeping mostly because he loved holding Dewan, and who was he to deny him that?</p><p>He kissed him lightly. “Morning, sunshine. Merry Christmas.”</p><p>“Merry Christmas” he agreed immediately, smiling gently at him.</p><p>Dean’s hart started beating faster in his chest, as always.</p><hr/><p>They’d get together with Sam, Bobby and Crowley later at Ellen’s, they had decided, but Christmas morning was just for them.</p><p>(Maybe, Dean thought, eventually it wouldn’t be. There were adoption agencies, and there was magic, were there not? Maybe on me day… But one step at a time).</p><p>He was staring at his first Christmas tree and feeling happier than he could ever remember being.</p><p>“I believe the expression is a penny for your thoughts?” Cas asked.</p><p>“Don’t worry. Just that I am really happy”.</p><p>“I am glad.” His wings wrapped around him. “I’m happy too.”</p><p>“That’s good, then.” Somehow, it was difficult to find the words to express just how much Cas and their life together meant to him.</p><p>He cleared his throat. “So, Cas, I got you a present.”</p><p>“You didn’t have to.”</p><p>As if he didn’t know that Cas had gotten him something as well.</p><p>“I wanted to.” He fished the box out of his pocket. “Seemed strange to wrap it because… well, it already has a box, hasn’t it, with it being – I mean – that’s kind of the point”. He was rambling.</p><p>Cas was staring at the ring box, and De awa wondering whether he’d made a mistake when he said, “So that was why Sam and Crowley started to laugh when I told them.”</p><p>“What do you mean-“</p><p>But he understood as soon as Cas showed him his own box.</p><p>“So we both – “ Dena laughed. “That is kinda funny”.</p><p>A pause.</p><p>Then, Dean added, “So you want to spend forever with me, right? Just to make sure.”</p><p>“Yes, Dean. I think I would very much enjoy to spend forever with you.”</p><p>“That’s good then” he breathed and dragged him into a kiss.</p><p>
  <strong>That evening</strong>
</p><p>Ellen had made a most excellent Christmas goose, as of some family tradition; Jo was busy setting the table, refusing any help that may be offered; and so, Dean sat next to his fiancé – his <em>fiancé</em> – the others having just arrived.</p><p>“So, do I get to give the bride away?”</p><p>“Neither of us will be the bride, Crowley” Cas pointed out.</p><p>“Doesn’t matter. Either of you would be pretty in a dress, although I have to vote for Squirrel.”</p><p>He rolled his eyes. “If you say so.”</p><p>“I’m very happy for you” Sam told him, smiling brightly.</p><p>“Me too!” Joe declared. “Fight you for being best man, Sam?”</p><p>“Now wait a moment –“</p><p>But as they started bickering, Dean looked around the room and thought that so many people he loved were together, and that they loved him in return; and that he had Cas, and Cas had him, and that was how it always would be.</p><p>Cas’ fingers brushed his and he grasped his hand.</p><p>It was Christmas indeed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, guys, here we are - all that's left is wish you a very merry Christmas!!!</p>
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